Destiny Relived a Thousand Times
by Naitael
Summary: A LinkxZelda story. Link and Zelda discover they have been reincarnated throughout time to fight Ganon. They are intertwined with the Triforce. Can they learn how to use this knowledge to fight... Ganon's mom? Takes place post Ocarina of Time. Please R&R!
1. Why Must This Be?

Disclaimer: I do not own Zelda, Nintendo does :(

Go easy on me, it's my first time doing a fanfic story...

* * *

Zelda sighed as she walked out onto her balcony, overlooking the lands of Hyrule. Her hand went unconsciously to the pendant around her neck. It was the symbol of infinity, enclosed in a circle. Link had given it to her five years ago, before he left to help another land in need. 

She remembered what he had said to her before he left: "Zelda, this necklace means that we'll always be together, no matter what time or place we're in. I'll come back to you." They had been too immature then to recognize those strong feelings for what they were: love.

It had been seven years since the Temple of Time events, and Zelda and Link were both a strong, young seventeen years of age. Link had completely assumed his destined role as the Hero of Time, and Zelda had become the High Priestess of the Temple of Time, and leader of the Sages. She was poised to take over the throne as Queen of Hyrule whenever her father stepped down.

Zelda remembered her reunion with Link six months ago. They had been inseparable for the better part of three days, talking and enjoying each other's company.

* * *

(Zelda flashback) 

They were walking in the garden, completely hidden by high hedges, when Link turned to her and grabbed her hands. "Zelda, during my travels, I never once stopped thinking of you. I have not looked at any other girl since you. I love you Zelda, and I think you love me too." He gazed deeply into her eyes.

"Link, I..." She pulled her hands from his and turned away from him. "We can't."

"Why not Zelda? Why can't we be together?" He grabbed her shoulder and turned her to face him.

"Hyrulian law..." she choked on her words for a second. "Hyrulian law states that royalty cannot marry outside of royalty. Or else they are banished from Hyrule." She lowered her head so she couldn't see his eyes.

Link stared at her. "Zelda, I... I can't help it. I love you. I don't think I can love anyone else like I love you. I've always loved you."

"Link... if I leave Hyrule, I leave my people. And I can't do that. I can't! There's no other family to take over the throne. And I don't trust that Trent guy my father appointed as his advisor." She began to cry. "Link... I can't..."

Link tipped her chin up so she was forced to look at him. "Do you love me? If you don't, I promise I'll never bring it up again. I'll never bother you again. Tell me if you love me."

"Don't make me do this..." Zelda whispered.

"Tell me."

"I can't!" she wailed. "I can't do this, Link!"

Link bowed his head and clenched his fists. "Your choice. Goodbye, Zelda." He turned and walked away.

As soon as he left, Zelda collapsed and sobbed brokenly. "I love you too, Link. But it breaks my heart to tell you we can't be together. I never asked to be a princess!"

The next day, a guard brought her a letter from Link that said he was going away for a while. At the bottom, it said, "Signed, Link." Zelda cried even harder from this.

* * *

Zelda wiped away a tear running down her cheek. She had talked to her father about why that law was in place, and he had asked her if this was about Link. She denied it, and said she'd just been studying Hyrulian laws and wanted to know why it was in place. He said it stemmed from the traditional belief that only someone of royalty could run a kingdom, and it had been put in place after a queen from centuries ago had married a commoner who let the power go to his head, and started a civil war that ripped Hyrule into two for many years. 

She asked if there were any exceptions to the rule, like for nobles not of royalty, or distinguished persons valued to the land, and he said there were not. He asked again if this was about Link, and she told him no, and left.

"Hey," a voice said behind her, snapping her out of her reverie. The voice sent chills running up and down her spine, the way only one man's voice could... She turned around, and sure enough, Link was standing in the doorway.


	2. I'm With Her, But I Love You

Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I still don't own Zelda...

Author's Note: In doing some research for this story, I came across a list of all the LoZ characters rumored to like Link or express interest in him at one point or another. And my, Link sure is a ladies' man! -+

Link's Loves: Zelda, Medli (TP), Ruto (OoT), Nabooru (OoT), Deku Princess (MM), Mrs. Marie (WW), hotel front desk girl (MM), Maku Tree Sprout (OoA), Lulu (MM?), Saria (OoT), Malon (OoT), Navi (OoT), Ilia (TP), Midna (TP), Rosa (OoS)

* * *

"Hey," a voice said behind her, snapping her out of her reverie. The voice sent chills running up and down her spine, the way only one man's voice could... She turned around, and sure enough, Link was standing in the doorway. 

"Hi. How have you been?" She gave him a hug, which he awkwardly accepted and pulled away quickly.

"Good, good. Yourself?"

"I've... I've been okay. You look well."

"Thanks. Listen, I just came by to tell you that I'm seeing Malon now," he told her.

It was a blow to her. "Why did you come here just to tell me you're seeing another girl?"

"Well," he said, shifting uncomfortably, "Malon didn't want to keep it from you and hurt your friendship, and I thought I'd be the first to tell you since we used to be close."

"Do you love her?" The question popped out of her mouth before she could think about what she was saying.

"As much as I can. She's a wonderful girl. Maybe someone I could live with for the rest of my life. She's very sweet, nice, she listens to me and I listen to her. Her father, Talon, likes me too."

"Oh. I see. I... I hope she makes you happy, Link. I really do."

"I just thought I'd stop to tell you. I'm meeting Malon in a little bit for a date, so I have to go. Bye Zelda." He turned to leave.

"Link," Zelda whispered.

Link spun around and pulled her against him. "Only one person is going to ever make me truly happy, Zelda," he said breathlessly, and crushed his lips against hers.

He pushed her away after a few moments and ran out the door.

Zelda sank to the ground, crying and shaking.


	3. Do I Hurt Everyone Around Me?

Disclaimer: I don't own Zelda, but I do have a copy of the original Zelda for NES...

Author's Note: I don't hate Malon, I actually really like her. But if Link went with her, it would ruin my story, and anyways, I think Link and Zelda are pretty much star-crossed lovers throughout time as it is... Don't worry, Malon gets a guy OC later...

* * *

Malon hummed Epona's song happily to herself as she skipped along feeding the cows. She couldn't wait for her date! Link said he had to go do something first, and then he'd be over.

Epona was waiting for her when she came out of the stables. "Oops! Sorry, Epona, I guess I was humming a little too loudly again." She gave the horse a carrot, which Epona happily crunched on.

Malon was changing her dress in her room when she heard Epona whinny excitedly outside. _Link must be here!_ she thought. She quickly brushed her hair and ran outside to meet him.

Link was walking towards her, shoulders slumped, head down. She ran up, threw herself on him, and planted a kiss on his cheek. "Link! You're my hero!" she said, knowing he liked to hear that.

Link halfheartedly hugged her and sat on a nearby bench. Malon sat beside him. "Link? What's wrong?"

"I went to see Zelda."

"I figured as much. What did she say? Was she angry with you or something? Was it about me?"

"She wasn't angry with either of us."

"Then why are you so down?" She tried to hold one of his hands and he yanked it away from her. "Link! Tell me what's wrong!"

"It's complicated, okay?" He put his head in his hands.

"What? What's complicated?" Malon started to cry. "Link? What is going on? Are you leaving me?"

"No! I don't know. I just need some time."

"Do you love her? Is that it? You're with me only because you can't have her? I have a right to know."

"Malon..." he pleaded.

"No. If you can't answer that, then you can have all the time you want to think about it. That's real low, Link, playing me like that. I'll give you your time, but you need to figure out where your feelings lie pretty quickly, Link." She stormed out of the ranch. (Me: you gotta love an angry redhead )

Link headed for the Lost Woods, fuming and confused.


	4. Gotcha, Princess Malon!

Disclaimer: I don't own Zelda. In addition to the original Zelda for NES, I do own a copy of the 2nd Zelda game, also on NES... it's annoyingly addictive, too... I hate it, but I can't stop playing!!!!!!!!

* * *

Malon ran and ran for what seemed like forever. She reached a meadow filled with flowers, with a large boulder in the middle. She stopped to catch her breath, sobbing. _He loves her, not me. He never loved me as much as he will always love her. How could I have been so foolish?_

She pulled out the ocarina Link had given her, that he had taught her to play. She perched cross-legged on the boulder and began to play Saria's Song. Link had told her that since she did not have any connection to the Triforce, she could play the ocarina without it transporting her to a temple, or causing a rainstorm or anything like that. Epona's song was the only one that would work for her. Link had also talked to Saria and Saria made it so if Malon played Saria's Song, she could talk to Saria.

_Hi, Malon_, a voice inside her head responded, as it always did. _What's going on?_

"I need to talk to you. It's about Link."

_What? What has he done now? Is he treating you nicely? He'd better be..._

Malon started crying again. "He's in love with Zelda. I know it. He's only dating me because he can't have her."

_Wait, has he actually told you this?_

"No... but I can just tell. He came back from seeing her and told me he needed some time. And he wouldn't answer me when I asked if he loved her."

_Oh, jeez, Malon. Listen, I'll go talk to him and find out what's going on. Sometimes he can just get moody, you know him. He and Zelda had a big fight about six months ago, and they haven't talked to each other, until now, apparently._

"Thanks, Saria."

_Hang in there... I'll talk to you later._

Malon sighed and began to play the slow, mournful Song of Time. Getting caught up in the music, she didn't notice the two women sneaking up behind her until it was too late.

"Gotcha, Princess!" They threw a bag over her head, which was heavily scented with sleeping herbs. _Princess?_ She thought, and slipped into a dreamless sleep.


	5. Malon Has Been Kidnapped!

Disclaimer: I don't own Zelda... and it does not own me!!! ...ok maybe it does... (leave me alone, it's 12:30am and I'm trying to get these up before I go to bed)

Author's Note: Remember how I said I didn't hate Malon? Well, I do hate Navi... and that stupid owl... they can go to hell, for all I care...

P.S. I finally figured out how to use the ruler!!! (12:30am, people, 12:30am... I'm tired...)

* * *

Link worked furiously with his sword, slicing, parrying, blocking, trying to work out his frustrations. With an angry shout he buried the sword deep into a tree.

Saria stepped into the clearing. "Link! Are you okay?"

"Do I look okay, Saria?" he snapped.

"You don't have to bite my head off, I haven't done a thing to you! Malon contacted me."

"Does everyone have to know my business?"

"She said you went to Zelda's and came back... well, not in a good mood, anyways. Link, what's going on?"

"You'll only get angry with me too," he told her, trying not to tear up. Goddess, I'm the Hero of Time! I can't cry...

"Link, how long have you known me? We've been friends since the day you arrived at Kokiri Village, and nothing has changed that. Nothing you say or do will change that either. I'm just concerned for you. So was Malon. She asked me to find you and make sure you were all right."

"So you could report back to her."

"No. I won't tell her anything you don't want me to."

"Saria, what would you do if you were in love with one person, so much so that you would never be as happy with anyone else, and that one person won't acknowledge their love for you?"

"Link... is this because of what happened six months ago with you and Zelda?" He nodded. "Ah. Have you tried talking to her father?"

"What good would that do?" Link grumbled.

Saria sighed. "He's the king, Link. Kings can change laws. Or at least give his royal permission for you to marry his daughter. You are the Hero of Time, beloved by the whole land. What better union for the land of Hyrule than the two most powerful leaders to join and rule the country? The Hero of Time and the High Priestess? I'm sure if you talked to him, he would try to do something for you."

"No... they're so bound in their damn tradition there in Hyrule that he'd never change it. Anyways, he's letting that advisor of his make more and more decisions for him."

"Link, I don't know what to tell you. I can see her point; if she leaves, Hyrule collapses into civil war. They've been so torn since the Gerudo uprising, something as major as that would complete the rip."

Link opened his mouth to say something, but poof! Navi was there all of a sudden.

"Link!" came the familiar call.

"Navi? What are you doing here?! I thought the Deku Sprout had sent you on another mission."

"He called me back. Link! Malon is gone!" Navi cried.

"Yeah, I know, it's because she's... she's mad at me. So she ran into the fields."

"No! Not that. She's been taken by a renegade band of Gerudos that follow Ganondorf's beliefs and views. They call themselves Desert Thorns."

Link went pale. "What?! I... I have to go after her!"

Navi flew in front of his face. "Link! Wait! You'll need help. The Thorns are highly practiced in the same dark magics that Ganondorf used! Some are even more practiced than he was! Even the Hero of Time cannot overcome their combined powers!"

"Why would they want Malon anyways?" Saria asked.

"They thought she was Zelda. She was playing the ocarina and they thought she was Zelda because she was playing the Song of Time, and they had seen her with Link before," Navi explained.

"How do you know all this anyways?" Link asked.

"The Deku Tree has greatly grown in power. He is able to see present events and some past events as well," Navi answered him. "Link! You must ask Zelda for her help! She is the strongest magician in all of Hyrule!"

"Erm," Link scratched his head nervously, "she's kind of mad at me too."

Even though Navi didn't have eyes, Link got the distinct impression that Navi was staring at him. "What is going... nevermind. You need her help, Link."

"I'll see if the Sages can do anything to help as well," Saria said. "Good luck, Link. You know how to reach me." And she ran into the forest towards the Forest Temple.

"Link! Hurry!" Navi cried.

"Okay, okay! I'm going! You're not going to stay with me the whole time, are you?"

"Just get moving," Navi snapped.


	6. Zelda and Link, the Fighting Duo

Disclaimer: If I got rich enough, I would totally buy the rights to the Zelda games... but until then, they are the property of Nintendo...

* * *

Link burst through the closed doors of Zelda's room. "Zelda! I..." He stopped short and stared.

Zelda, who was just entering her room from her private bathroom, was wrapped only in a towel. She shrieked and dove into the bathroom again. "LINK!!! What the hell?!"

Link blushed furiously. "Sorry! I'll wait outside." He walked out and closed the doors. Navi fluttered around him, giggling in her annoying little fairy voice.

After she finished dressing, Zelda opened up the door but stood in the doorway, blocking it. "Link, I can't talk about this anymore, I just can't..." She trailed off, remembering the way he had kissed her earlier that day. A faint blush appeared on her cheeks.

"No, it's not about that. I need your help. Malon has been kidnapped."

Zelda gasped. "By who?"

"The Desert Thorn tribe, the one that still worships Ganondorf and all that? They thought she was you because she was playing on the ocarina I gave her."

"These criminals really need to get their royalty straight... Wait, did you say that you gave her an ocarina? And taught her how to play it?"

"Look, is that important right now? The Thorns are well-trained in dark magic, and I need your help getting into their fortress. We have to go NOW, though, before they have a chance to get fully organized."

"We have to talk to my father first." She followed him as he ran down the steps and into the throne room, where the king and his advisor were.

"Your Highness." Link kneeled before him, then stood up. "Malon of Lon Lon Ranch has been kidnapped by the Desert Thorn Gerudo tribe. They apparently thought it was your daughter. I need your daughter's help to get into their fortress. I pledge to protect her and return her to you."

"The Desert Thorns, you say? They have been getting restless lately. I will not stand for their treacherous ways! Link, the Hero of Time, you have my full support. If Zelda agrees, she may go with. I know you would do anything to protect her. But why does she have to go?"

"The Thorns are well practiced in dark magic, and they have numerous magical defenses on their fortress, which even the Hero of Time cannot penetrate," Zelda responded.

"Of course, then. Zelda, do you wish to accompany Link?"

"Father, I will go with Link to help. Malon is my friend as well. I will make sure I am disguised well."

"Yes dear. Go with all of my love. Link, may I speak to you in private?" The king beckoned him into a smaller room off of the throne room.

Link followed, confused. "Yes sir?"

"Link, what are your intentions towards my daughter?"

"What intentions, sir?"

The king grabbed Link's shoulder. "You and Zelda have been close friends for many years now. She has told me about your adventures, and how worthy you really are of the title of Hero of Time. But I am wondering if this friendship isn't something more..."

"No, sir. My intentions are honorable. The Princess will not be touched in any way. Zelda and I are merely good friends."

"Son, I see a lot more than you think I do. I've seen the way she looks at you. Each time you went away to help another land in need, she would stand on the balcony and look out over the lands, watching and waiting for you to come back. I've also seen the way you look at her. Do you love Zelda, Link?"

"Sir, I will bring your daughter home safely to you, I promise. We must leave now, though, if we are to catch the Thorns off guard." Link bowed and walked out.

The king watched him go, looking thoughtful. Meanwhile, Trent the advisor snuck off into another room.


	7. Will He Come For Me?

Disclaimer: Zelda is the property of Nintendo, and all that such and such...

* * *

Malon awoke in a dark cell, underground, she could tell. She had a huge headache, and was a little disoriented from the herbs they had used on her. The only light in the cell came from the food slit in the door and from the edges of the door.

"Hello? What's going on? Who put me in here? Where am I? Help me!" she called.

A sharp bang on the door made her jump. A gruff woman's voice said, "Shut up in there!" She heard heavy footsteps as the guard walked away.

She sat down on the floor to wait, but a voice whispered to her from a crack in the wall to her right. "Hey! Hey! Over here! Can you hear me?"

She crawled nearer to the wall. "Where are you?"

"I'm in the next cell over! There's a small crack in the wall near the back. We can talk there!"

She found the crack by feeling in the dark. "I'm Malon. Who are you?"

"Malon? That's odd, they said you were the Princess. Your name isn't Zelda?"

"No, I'm Malon. I'm the daughter of Talon, owner of Lon Lon Ranch. They must have mistaken me for Zelda," she said, remembering what her kidnappers had said right before she passed out.

"Well, nice to meet you Malon. I'm Tory. I'm from a ranch, too. It's smaller than Lon Lon, of course. Have you heard of Balkette Ranch?"

"Oh! My father knows your father then. What are you doing in here?"

"One of our cows escaped, and wandered near here. I didn't know it was Gerudo land, so I followed, and they caught me. They think I must be a spy. I've been here for two days, I think."

"What's going to happen to me?" Malon asked him.

"Well... they think you're the Princess. I heard one of them saying that they had special purposes for you. I don't know what they'll do when they find out you're not the Princess."

"Maybe Link will come for me," Malon sighed. "If he ever finds out I'm missing, that is."

"Link, the Hero of Time? Do you know him?"

"He's my boyfriend. Well, not any more, I guess. He's in love with Zelda, but she can't marry him, for whatever reason."

"Wow! So you know Zelda, too?"

"Yeah, I know her. Hey, if Link comes for me, he'll get you out too."

"I SAID SHUT UP IN THERE!!! Or no supper for the both of you!"

"We'd better be quiet," Tory whispered.


	8. Mutual Attraction

Disclaimer: Yoda-speak: Owned by me, Zelda is not...

Author's Note: Ok, the reference to "goddess" is how the Hylians worship the 3 goddesses: Din, Farore, and Nayru. So instead of saying "God, he is so handsome," instead, it's "Goddess..."

* * *

At Lon Lon Ranch, Zelda donned one of Malon's dresses and braided her long, strawberry blond hair into a single long braid. She had to disguise herself, or they'd recognize her right away. This combined with a little magic, would keep her from being recognized right away. Navi had left to confer with the Sages. Neither Link nor Zelda had been sad to see the fairy go. Zelda looked in the mirror. _Positively normal looking. I wonder if Link will like this look for me?_

She needed to stop worrying about Link and focus on rescuing Malon. This was about Malon, not about Link, not about love. She walked out to the small fenced pasture where Talon let his horses run free. Talon, as usual, was fast asleep in the stables. Link was petting Epona and feeding her carrots, looking into the horse's eyes and saying words she assumed to be encouragement.

Her breath caught in her throat. _Goddess, he is so handsome... I want to stop this masquerade so badly! It hurts me, and it hurts him as well..._

She flashed back to when she had first met Link.

* * *

That stupid Ganondorf... I don't like him one bit. I hope my dream is right, and the fairy boy comes soon... 

Hearing footsteps, she spun away from the window where she was spying on her father's court. She was faced with a young, blond, determined-looking boy her age dressed in a strange green tunic and bearing sword and shield on his back.

Even at ten years old, she felt as though she had known him for ages. An electrical bolt of emotion ran through her, a combination of love and longing that was too deep and mature for her to understand then. She could tell he felt a little of the same thing.

"You've finally come!" she cried.

* * *

Zelda snapped out of her reverie. Link turned to her and smiled. "Hey Princess," he said, sounding just like old times. 

Link thought, _She's just as beautiful in regular clothes as she is in her regal dresses... Maybe even more beautiful._ "Spin for me, beautiful! Show off the new look for this season! How's it feel to be in a commoner's clothing?"

"Shut up, Link! That's not nice!" All the same, she grinned and spun around. _He never passes up the chance to make fun of me for being royalty..._

"Your royal skin isn't chafing from contact with common things, is it? We don't need to break out the emergency silk? Your royal bottom doesn't have a rash by now?"

"Well, I'm certainly not showing you if it does, Link!" She blushed as soon as the words came out.

"Well fine then! Here, come over here and we'll see if Epona likes you enough to let you ride her. Otherwise, you're riding Lady, 'cause she's easy for beginners."

"I've ridden horses before!" she said indignantly.

"You've ridden well-trained horses on a circular track inside the castle courtyard. Or you've gone riding on one of them at a slower pace outside the castle with your father. Talon and Malon keep their horses a little wild."

"Oh." Link handed her a sugar cube and a carrot. "Give her the sugar cube first."

Zelda held out the cube to the snorting horse. Epona cautiously looked at her, but in the end, decided the sugar cube was too good of a treat to pass up, and gently took it from Zelda's hand. Zelda patted the horse's nose as Epona ate the sugar cube. Then she gave Epona the carrot. Epona whinnied happily and munched on the carrot.

"She likes you! Good! Now let's see if she'll let you ride her." He helped hoist her into the saddle. Epona patiently stood still. "Now just use your knees to control and guide her, don't use the reins unless in a drastic condition, she doesn't like them."

Zelda gently pressed her knees into Epona's sides. Epona broke into a slow trot. They rode around the track a few times, until Zelda felt that she was familiar enough with Epona and Link was sure Epona wouldn't turn on her suddenly.

"Ok, just in case something would happen, and you'd need to call Epona to you quickly, I'll teach you Epona's Song." Link handed her the Ocarina of Time and whistled the tune for her. Zelda picked it up right away and handed the ocarina back to him. Epona's ears perked up and she whinnied again.

Link saddled Godiva, the next fastest horse in Talon's stable, and trotted up to meet Zelda and Epona. "Are we ready? We have to make it close to the Gerudo lands by daylight, that way we can hide out during the day and sneak in tomorrow night," he said, glancing at the slowly setting sun. "Let's go."

They set off at a gallop towards the Gerudo lands.


	9. From Princess to Cow Wench?

Disclaimer: I don't own Zelda...

_Other things: The name Narabi actually came to me because I was thinking of the Lion King the other day... The idea of a pride of lions seemed to fit somewhat with Gerudo nature. Anyways, I was trying to remember Simba's mom's name, and I kept thinking it was Narabi, until I realized it was actually Sarabi, but the name stuck with me anyways. So, props to The Lion King for giving me the name of my bad guy in this story! And for making me cry from a movie from the very first time... well, barring the time I got scared from E.T. ... you know, why don't you just read the story now..._

* * *

Light burst into her cell as the door was flung open. "Wake up! You're coming with us!" Two more of the women guards grabbed her roughly by the arms and dragged Malon out of the cell.

"Where are you taking me? I want to know!" she cried to them.

"Hah, you get to have an audience with our leader, the most feared magician in the lands. Not so mighty now, are you, Princess?"

They took her up several flights of stairs and entered a brilliant, over-decorated throne room. There were two women guards, wearing the traditional Gerudo outfit, except it was black. They took over from the other guards and dragged her over to where a muscular Gerudo woman sat on a throne. In addition to the bikini top and pants, she had on several vein pieces covering her mouth, arms, torso and hair.

"Are you sure this is the Princess?" the woman asked another woman on the left.

"My two best assassins captured her. They said she was playing the Song of Time on an ocarina. And they said she'd been seen in the company of the Hero of Time."

"Hmm. Because, you see, this is not the Princess. Who are you?" she barked at Malon.

"My name is Malon, I live on Lon Lon Ranch. Link is my... friend. Please let me go, you have no use for me."

The woman on the left stuttered. "But.. but... my assassins are the best! They worked with the information they were given!"

Obviously they did not do as well as you told me they would. I have no use for this cow wench! What do we do now?"

The doors a the end of the throne room broke open. Another Gerudo woman ran in. "Lady Narabi! Your servant Trent has sent you a message!"

Narabi snatched it from the woman's hand. She read it twice, a slow grin breaking across her face. "Well, wench, seems like we may have some use for you after all. Lock her back up!"

Malon was dragged away shouting.

* * *

Link and Zelda reached a place Link had said they could stop at for the rest of the night and the next day. It was a secluded little cave, hidden in such a way that no one could see it until they were practically on top of the entrance. It was just wide enough to bring the horses in. The odd thing about the cave was that at the other end, there was a cul-de-sac with a hole in the ceiling. The sun shone through it during the day, so grass grew in the cave. They secured the horses there and made their own beds nearer to the middle. 

As they were lying there, a few feet apart, Zelda asked, "Link?"

"Mmmh?" he mumbled.


	10. I'm Sorry But I'm Saving Myself

Disclaimer: Me: I TOTALLY OWN ZELDA!!!

Lawyer: Umm… I guess we're submitting a plea of insanity, she's obviously completely nuts… I mean, Nintendo owns the Zelda games, not her.

Me: drools

* * *

"Link? Are you awake?" Zelda whispered. Link was lying a few feet away on his own sleeping bag, with his back to her. 

"Mmmh," he muttered, rolling over slightly. Zelda sat up and looked closely at him. His eyes were closed and he was breathing rhythmically. He looked like he was fast asleep. Zelda decided to say what was on her mind.

"Link, Malon is lucky to have you. She doesn't have to worry about stupid laws, or whether her fragile kingdom will remain at peace if she marries outside her social class. I know you're asleep, and I don't know if you can hear me in your dreams, but I hope you can… Link, when we first met, I felt as though I'd known you forever. I felt as though in many previous lives, I had known you and I had… loved you. So it hurts me more than you think that we aren't together."

Zelda sighed. "You have no idea how badly I want to give up this masquerade. Do you think I want to marry some prince who'll try to treat me like I'm to be seen and not heard? I'm not sure if the people of Hyrule would want me to marry a commoner. They want us to ally with some other country, to protect ourselves against future attacks. And what stronger ally is there than the future Queen of one land married to the future King of another land?"

"Over the years I have dedicated myself to saving this land, to keeping its peace. And it has been hard, especially without you. So I guess, to save my land, save my people, then I must sacrifice my own happiness. If it means giving up the most important thing in my life… then so be it… That's how it has to be." She started to cry softly, and held her head in her hands.

Suddenly warm arms were sweeping her into their embrace. Link pulled her towards him, and she buried her face into his soft tunic. "I was awake the entire time. Zelda, I felt it too when we met. It was more than that… It was like, we'd been through this a thousand times before. We had fought Ganon before, a thousand times, and we had loved each other a thousand times over again."

Zelda looked up into his eyes. "Link, I… "

"Shhh," he said, and silenced her with a kiss. "Listen. Malon is a wonderful girl, but my heart belongs to one person, and one person only. I could never be truly happy with Malon, and she deserves a lot better than that. So if you can't be happy, then I can't be happy."

"But Link," she said, still a little shocked because he had kissed her again, "what happens when I marry-"

"Shut up," he told her, and kissed her again, harder. And this time, she kissed him back, her soft lips parting…

He pulled her down onto the sleeping bag, and buried his face in her neck, kissing, sucking, nibbling, while she gently moaned beneath him. His hands moved smoothly down her body, caressing her thighs and cupping her breasts in a gentle squeeze. He undid the laces of her bodice and slipped his hand beneath her upper garments to tease her nipples. She moaned harder, clutching his back and tightly gripping his biceps.

Link paused long enough to take his tunic and undershirt off, revealing a perfectly sculpted body, built by his constant fighting and travels. Zelda reached up and traced her finger along a long scar reaching from the side of his ribcage up to his breastbone. _I haven't seen him with his shirt off since we were kids and went swimming together…_

Link pulled off her upper garments and gently flicked her left nipple with his tongue. Zelda moaned louder and arched her back. Instinctively, almost, she reached down and cupped his erection in one hand. Link groaned and, losing his strength for an instant, fell upon her, sucking her nipple.

I should pull away, we can't do this… Zelda thought, but was swiftly drowning in an insane erotic rush. Link began pulling her skirt down, and Zelda somehow found the willpower to push him away. "Link!!" she cried breathlessly. "Link! We can't do this… not now… no."

Link stared at her, breathing hard, hands still caught in the act of pulling down her skirt. "What? I thought…"

"I know, I know… but I… I… I have to save myself!!!" she cried, fresh tears springing out of her eyes.

Link pulled away and sat with his back to her. "I see. Whatever you wish… _Princess_," he said, cruelly reminding her of her status, and just why they couldn't be together.

"Link…" she touched his back, but he shrugged her off and gathered up his garments and bedding.

"I think it's better if I sleep near the horses," he told her, still avoiding her eyes, and walked off.

Zelda watched him go, tears streaming down her face, wondering to herself why she always managed to make him leave like this.

Later on that morning _(remember, they arrived late at night and were going to sleep through part of the day)_, unable to sleep, she crept in and laid down beside him. He stirred enough to put his arm around her and draw her close. The horses shook their heads and whinnied, possibly at the strange antics of these humans…


	11. So What Do We Do Now?

Disclaimer: Me: BWAHAHAHA!! Ganon, you shall not succeed in feeding me these strange pills. I am Zelda!!! I will surround myself with Nayru's Love and you cannot penetrate my shield!!!

Some lady behind me: I AM GEORGE WASHINGTON!!!

Orderlies: Dammit, not again… I'll grab the horse syringe…

REAL DISCLAIMER: I don't own Zelda…. (stupid meds…)

Author's note: This story is post OoT, but doesn't include the story of Twilight Princess, because I'm not familiar with it. I wanted to kind of make a tribute to Twilight, though, and acknowledge it, so that's why she looks at the twilight.

Author's note: Ok, the fortress here is NOT the Gerudo Fortress found in OoT... instead, it's meant to be a different fortress, that the Desert Thorns built. Like mentioned before, they split from the regular Gerudos, because they wanted to live on in Ganondorf's reign, whereas the other Gerudos had kind of disagreed with Ganondorf's radical ways. Gerudos are thieves. I always pictured them behaving like the 40 thieves, in the third Aladdin movie? Only they're all women, and very strict.

* * *

Link awoke to find Zelda snuggled up against himself. _Goddess, she drives me insane… She loves me, but she won't admit it, not even to herself._

Out of every single puzzle he had solved, every single enemy he had defeated, even Ganon, not one could compare to how utterly helpless Zelda made him feel. No one else could make him so crazy, and yet he still loved her, even when he was somewhat mad at her. It had taken him forever to calm down after she'd pushed him off.

_And yet she's still beautiful, still so incredibly innocent and sexy and daring, all at the same time…_ Feeling something rising within him _(me: and in his pants… tee hee!)_, he decided this would be a good time to do some scouting of the area ahead. He'd gotten them close enough to where he thought the fortress would be that they'd have a great base of operations (if need be), and somewhere close enough that Epona could hear Epona's Song and get to them quickly.

The sun was beginning to set as he set out, climbing carefully over the rocks. Soon enough, he found himself on a ledge overlooking the Desert Thorns' Fortress from a distance. There were several Gerudo guards patrolling the area, all women of course. One of them, returning from a western pathway, marched up near the fortress door and stuck her hand out. A blue light shimmered near her hand, almost as if identifying who the person was. Apparently the light decided she was friend, not foe, and the blue light expanded to form the shape of a doorway to allow the guard through.

_Is that Nayru's Love? I thought only members of the Royal Family and the Hero of Time could learn the spells of the Goddesses…_

Another guard, seeing the first guard go into the castle, headed towards the western pathway. Wait, are they patrolling outside the courtyard? Then that must mean… he thought, looking at the pathway running alongside the rock he was perched on. And sure enough, from around the corner, he heard the light crunch of a shoe stepping on dirt. He dropped down and into a natural hiding spot behind a boulder. He was not a moment too soon, because as soon as he was out of sight, a guard walked around the corner and continued along the pathway.

_Now I really hope Zelda doesn't move…_

* * *

Zelda awoke and immediately wondered where Link had gone. She went outside to relieve herself in a spot that Link had pointed out to her last night. After she finished, she stood near the entrance to the cave and gazed at the twilight. _It's so beautiful…Sometimes I wonder if there's another world beyond the twilight..._

She began climbing over the rocks to go see if she could find Link. Link didn't tell me how close we were to the Fortress, she thought, perched on the same rock Link had been on earlier. (Link, meanwhile, was scouting elsewhere).

To her trained Priestess's eyes, she could see a dome of blue light over the fortress, which she immediately recognized as Nayru's Love. _It's weak, though, so the spell was not learned all the way… Whoever it was had probably gotten the power through some kind of ritual on a priest._ She could sense the power of the person controlling the spell, though much of the power was masked.

Suddenly an arm wrapped around her waist and a hand clamped over her mouth and she was dragged backwards into a depression behind a boulder, out of sight. She was turned around so she could see her captor. It was Link. He put one finger over his lips, quieting her, and nodded his head towards the passageway. Another Gerudo guard passed by, not seeing them, and continued on her patrol.

Link waited until he thought it was safe, then asked her, "What were you doing?! You could've been seen and captured!"

"I didn't know where you went, and I wanted to see for myself."

"Don't do it again! I won't have you captured by whoever's running this place."

Zelda pouted a little. "Well you don't have to be such a jerk about it."

"Fine. Whatever. There's a barrier around the fortress, isn't there?"

"Yes. It's Nayru's Love. It's not the full strength spell, though, they must have learned it by killing a priest or priestess and taking his or her powers."

"Can you tell me anything about the person who's behind it?" Link asked.

"Well, they're very powerful. They're masking most of their power. To someone not as trained in magics, it would appear as though they didn't really have any power at all. It takes a very strong sorcerer to do that. Even Ganondorf didn't have that kind of power."

"So what do we do?" Link asked.


	12. Sneaking Into the Fortress

Disclaimer: I don't own Zelda… and they're finally letting me out of the loony bin…

* * *

"So what do we do?" 

Zelda grinned at him. "Aren't I supposed to be asking you what we should do? I think the barrier is more of a distraction than anything, something to hinder us slightly while alerting them that we're here."

Link frowned. "Is there any way to get past it without alerting them?"

"I could probably take it down for a very short period of time, but you'd basically have to dodge all of them, and when I see you're in place, I'll take down the barrier long enough that you can slip through it."

"Ok… then here I go, I guess…"

"Wait! You won't need my help or anything? What if you have to fight this person?"

"I'd rather risk my own life than to find out the hard way what this jerk wants with you…"

"But-" Zelda protested.

"But nothing! I'm going, you're staying. I won't risk you." Link sighed. "Look, knowing my luck, whenever I get into big trouble there's usually an explosion or something of the sort. So, if you hear any explosions, then I probably need help."

"All right," he said. "Once I'm in place, I'll look towards you. Then, once you've got the barrier down, raise your arm. Not much, just enough so I can see it. Then get back into hiding." He turned to look around the corner.

Zelda grabbed his arm. "Link! I'm… I'm sorry about last night," she said.

He shrugged. "Don't worry about it. I pushed you too hard. I shouldn't have pressured you. It won't happen again. I understand why you have to do this. Your people come first. But Zelda, I don't think I'll ever be able to love you any less." And with that he was gone, climbing over rocks, hiding behind boulders.

There were four guards patrolling the courtyard. Link snuck up on two of them and knocked them unconscious, but at the third one, the guard saw him coming and blew her whistle before he could stop her. He quickly knocked her out and ran after the fourth guard, who was running for the fortress. He stopped her with a flying tackle, and after a short scuffle, she too was unconscious.

* * *

Narabi smiled happily as she locked onto Zelda's power signal. _Stupid girl… she's not even bothering to cover her power…_

A guard came running in, breathless. "M'lady! I was watching from one of the windows, and someone took down all four of the guards patrolling the courtyard!"

Narabi smiled even more. She motioned to her advisors. "You. Bring the cow wench to me. And you – send out the assassins to capture the princess. Then tell everyone to clear the halls. The intruders are not to be harmed, and the boy is not allowed to be stopped. I want him to come straight to me. NOW!!"

"Yes, ma'am!" The advisors scurried to do her bidding.

* * *

Zelda raised her hand to Link. He nodded and slipped through the opening in the barrier. She watched him for a few more seconds, then slid off the boulder and ran back up the path. 

As she rounded the corner, she was confronted by the assassins, who had her hands and ankles tied up in a matter of moments. "Hey! I think we got the right one this time!" one of them said.

Zelda started to glow red as the assassins carried her quickly towards the fortress. One of them, feeling Zelda's skin getting hotter, said, "I wouldn't do that if I were you. It wouldn't be good for your man."

"Link's not my man!" Zelda cried indignantly. But she stopped the spell. They carried her into the fortress.


	13. Link, the King of the Gerudos?

Disclaimer: I don't own Zelda

Author's Note: If you've ever played the Zelda games or read anything about them, you might have come across some of the Gerudo theology. The Gerudos are all female. Men, to them, are essentially there for bringing them more daughters (woot for feminism!!!). They always give birth to daughters, except once every one hundred years, a random Gerudo woman will give birth to a male. This male is raised and cherished. He is the King of the Gerudos. They have not so much a Queen, but a leader. This is one difference between the Desert Thorns and the regular Gerudos.

And if you'll recall (or I'll just tell you), Ganondorf was the King of the Gerudos. He was the male child born this century. And he's gone. No more male children for a while. So this is what confuses everyone.

* * *

Link burst into the fortress and sprinted down the grand hallway. _Why is no one here?_ he thought. 

He came up to a set of giant, gold-gilded doors, which he flung open and stepped through, drawing his Master Sword as he did so.

The room was very big, with almost no furniture. There were several side doors. A large table sat at the very back of the room. Directly ahead, however, were two large, over-decorated thrones, though one was bigger and more elaborate than the other. In the smaller one sat a tough-looking Gerudo woman, dressed in black. Two guards stood to one side of her, restraining a struggling Malon.

"Malon!" Link cried. "Are you okay?"

The woman laughed, and it sent chills up his spine. He'd heard a similar laugh before. _It can't be… it sounds like Ganondorf's laugh, only feminine…_

"She's fine. She's been a great help, too, for bringing me you and the Princess."

"The Princess isn't here. I'm alone."

"Nonsense! Here she comes now!" And the doors flew open again as the two assassins marched in carrying a bound Zelda.

"Zelda!!" He turned to the woman. "You'll never take her. I'll kill you myself." His sword started to glow.

_Hmm… he has his own strength… Maybe he IS fit for the Gerudos. But not as he is now, of course… Give it time, though…_ "Relax, boy. Put that thing away before you hurt yourself and let me finish."

"Huh?" Link asked.

"Oh, where are my manners? I am Narabi, Queen of the Gerudos. Like I said before, Malon has been a great help. I thought I needed Zelda, but it turns out I found something better than the power of a priestess. So I have no use for any of you." She gestured towards Malon and Zelda. "Release them."

Once released, both ran towards Link. "Link! We have to save Tory as well… he was in the dungeons with me," Malon told him.

Narabi apparently had super-human hearing as well. "Who, cow-boy? Whatever. I was just going to let my women have their way with him, but since it means so much to you…" She motioned to a guard to retrieve him. "Hah! Cow-boy and cow-wench. That is funny."

"Why are you doing this?" Link asked.

"I told you already. I found something better. I don't need your Princess any longer. But just in case…" Zelda was suddenly enveloped in a dark mist.

"Link?" she cried in fear and in pain. Link tried to grab her, but the mist wouldn't let him. Zelda dropped to the ground after a few seconds, gasping for breath.

Zelda extended a shaky hand, feeling something wrong with her powers. She tried to cast a spell, any spell. But there was nothing. "My powers… they're gone!"

A side door opened and a guard shoved Tory towards them.

"Your powers are gone," Narabi informed her. "I can't have you using them against me."

Link stepped into a fighting stance. "Return her powers, now!"

"I'm giving you your lives. I am not like Ganondorf; I do not waste life needlessly. None of you are a threat to me… except you, Link. But you may also become our greatest asset. You have a lot more to be thankful to us for."

"What's that supposed to mean?" he snarled.

Narabi smiled, showing all of her teeth. "One day, you'll get tired of running and return to us, to claim your rightful place… as the King of the Gerudos!"

Zelda and Malon gasped. Link blinked slowly. "Wha-"

"I tire of all of you. I am sending you off now." Narabi extended a hand and a dark cloud enveloped Link, Zelda, Malon, and Tory. Narabi spoke again. "Link, when hate consumes you, and you realize you have nothing left, come find me." Link felt as though something clutched his chest as they whirled around and around inside the cloud.

There was the sensation of being flung very very hard, and he felt himself losing consciousness as his back hit soft grass…


	14. The Hero has returned!

Disclaimer: No me own Zelda

Author's note: Anyone familiar with the Oracle games for the Gameboy Color? I ain't making this stuff up…

_Another Disclaimer: I made up the name Arrikou, don't take it!! Go away!! Just like I made up the name Naitael... which nobody seems to be able to pronounce... lol anyways, both of them come from a story (not a fanfic) that I started writing years ago. I made up a bunch of names, which I still like a lot._

* * *

Voices. "I think he's coming around!" More voices. 

_Zelda?_ Link thought. "Uhnn…" he groaned as he tried to sit up.

"Take it easy, son. "Link opened his eyes, and a man's smiling face swam into view. "You've got quite a bump on your head."

"Where… what… Narabi!!!" Link cried, and jumped up. He was still very unsteady, though. It felt as though his legs had come unhinged. The man caught him as he fell.

"Link! It's okay, Narabi's not here," Zelda told him, rushing over.

"We're all okay, Link. The villagers found us." Malon said from nearby, where she was cradling Tory's head in her lap, as he was still unconscious.

Link looked around. There were people all around, staring at him. Mothers were holding their curious children back, too, as if protecting them. A few people were also staring at Zelda, but most were entranced by Link.

"Where are we?" he asked the man. "Who are you?"

"I am Arrikou, mayor of Horon Village. Welcome to the land of Holodrum."

"Where is that at? Are we near Hyrule?"

"No," one of the villagers piped up, an elderly man. "I was told by my father that Hyrule was very far away. When he was a boy, the Hero ended up here exactly as you did, flung to another land, unconscious, found by one of our own."

"Did you say… the Hero?" Zelda asked, shocked.

"Yes, he did. Are you okay to walk?" Zelda, Link and Malon nodded. "Then follow me." Arrikou looked at some of his villagers. "Mikhail, Runon, would you be so kind as to carry our other visitor? Oh, come on now, he won't hurt you."

Two young men picked Tory up, one holding him under the arms and the other lifting Tory's legs, and carried him, following Arrikou and the others.

They arrived in the town square. "Over a hundred years ago, a Hero arrived in our land and saved us from a great evil. A princess came to help him defeat the source of the evil, a beast called Ganon."

Zelda gasped, and Link looked surprised. _What is going on here?_

Arrikou continued. "A statue was built depicting the Hero of Time, as he was called. And now, it seems, the Hero has returned!" He stepped aside and gestured to a tall statue.

Link stared dumbfounded into the stone eyes of himself.


	15. We're Off To See the Tree

Disclaimer: Zelda is not owned by me

Author's note: Yep, there was a statue of Link that the people of Horon Village erected in honor of the Hero. The old man is supposed to be the son of one of the children in Oracle of Seasons.

* * *

"And now, it seems, the Hero has returned!" Arrikou stepped aside and gestured to a tall statue. 

Link stared dumbfounded into the stone eyes of himself.

The villagers broke into a clamor.

"He's come back!" one woman cried.

A little boy stuck his tongue out at a little girl. "See, I told you so."

"Our village is blessed!" an elderly woman cried out.

A loud whistle cut through the clamor and the old man spoke up. "What I'm more concerned about is if Ganon will show himself again. I think every one of you should be concerned as well. My father told me that all the children were frozen. Crops failed as the seasons were thrown into chaos. After the Hero appeared, that's when Ganon also appeared."

"Yes, but the Oracle would've been kidnapped either way. Ganon would've been resurrected whether or not the Hero had shown up. Curb your tongue; make no judgements about our visitors."

Zelda told the villagers, "Ganon is gone. He is sealed in another plane, from which there is no escape. He cannot bother you any longer."

The old man bowed. "Then we are grateful to you and the Hero, Princess."

"How do you know I'm a Princess?"

Arrikou explained. "There was a Princess in the legend as well, who looked very beautiful, and cared only for her people. Her name was Zelda. The Hero's name was Link."

Zelda gasped. "But those are… our names."

"Who are your friends?" Arrikou asked, waving a hand at Malon and Tory, who was finally gaining consciousness.

"They're friends. Malon and Tory. We were transported here by an evil witch," Zelda explained.

"Gerudo."

"What, Link?" Zelda asked.

"Gerudo. She's Gerudo. Not an evil witch. She's evil, though. Either way, what do we do now?" Link looked at Arrikou, tearing his eyes away from the statue.

"Well, I was going to take you to the Great Deku Tree. He'll be able to help you."

Link was jolted by this. "You have a Great Deku Tree? I thought there was only one… There's one in Hyrule as well."

"Then he may be able to help you more than you think. The Deku Trees are interconnected by their power and wisdom."

"Well, then, let's go!"

"Your friends would probably be more comfortable in my house, waiting for you," Arrikou told them.

"Wait, we can't go with?!" Malon cried.

"The Deku Tree wants to speak to Link and Zelda only. He knew you were here, and informed me when I came to offer the morning ritual. Please, Malon and Tory. You will be made very comfortable."

"Whatever." With a dirty look at Zelda, Malon followed Tory and Mikhail, who led them to the mayor's house. _She has him wrapped around her little finger. And why not? She's beautiful, royalty, and she can fight because she's got magical powers. How can I compete with that?_

Arrikou led Link and Zelda to a large wooden gate, covered in trailing vines. He opened the gate with a key he drew from his pocket and motioned them inside. The gate closed behind them.

Link and Zelda walked down the path formed naturally by the trees, until they got to a clearing which held a tree that in size rivaled even the old Great Deku Tree of the Kokiri Forest that Link had once known.

"Welcome," it boomed.


	16. It All Makes Sense, I Think

Disclaimer: I do not own Zelda

Author's Note: Yes, there was a Great Deku Tree, only it was known as the Maku Tree in Oracle of Seasons. Most of the time in the game he slept and blew snot bubbles. OoS and OoA (Oracle of Ages) were kind of part 1 and 2. It didn't matter which game you played first, but if you beat one game, you got a password that you could put into the other game, to play a more extended version of it, where two witches (Koume and Kotake) kidnapped Zelda to resurrect Ganon. In this story, the OoS storyline happened first, then the OoA storyline, as if you played the password game.

Author's Apology: I tried to stay as true to the games as I could, so if I got messed up ANYWHERE, somebody let me know, and I'll try to fix it. Also, I'm really sorry about the Maku Tree's long-winded speeches. Then again, that does seem to be in character for any of the Trees in the games... and the damn owl... stupid trees and owls...

* * *

"Welcome," boomed the Maku Tree. 

Link remembered how big the Great Deku Tree of the Kokiri Village was. The Maku Tree was smaller in height, but its branches and leaves formed a thick canopy at the top that let very little sunlight through. The trunk was wider, too, and Link noted a small door carved into the side of the tree. The shade was peaceful rather than gloomy.

"Don't be afraid, you have nothing to fear from me, Link the Hero of Time and Zelda, Princess and High Priestess of Hyrule."

Link and Zelda moved closer. "What is this place? Why do they have a statue of me?" Link asked.

"Please, sit, and I will explain everything. Nothing can attack you here," the Tree told them. Link and Zelda sat on the soft grass, craning their heads to see the Tree's face.

"Ahh, yes," the Tree boomed thoughtfully, "the Hero of Time. Years ago, a little over a hundred, I believe, a young man was thrown here by the forces of destiny. He had little memory of where he came from, or what he did. His name was Link, as well. He was found by a reincarnated goddess, a human born with the power to control the seasons. Her name was Din, and she was called the Oracle of Seasons. Soon after Link awoke, Din was captured by Onox, the General of Darkness. The land was plunged into chaos. Without the oracle, the seasons changed on a whim. I was young then, and only had enough power to prevent the changes here in this clearing."

"Link traveled far in the land of Holodrum, saving the temples and even going below the surface to a land known as Subrosia. He saved Din and defeated Onox. Soon after, however, we got word that our neighboring land of Labrynna was in trouble. They were besieged by Veran, Sorceress of Shadows, who had possessed Nayru, the Oracle of Time. Link, being the hero he was, saved them as well. He traveled through time itself to save the land. A Princess of Hyrule, Zelda, appeared to help him, but she was kidnapped by two evil witches, Koume and Kotake, who tried to use her to resurrect Ganon."

"Link interrupted the ritual and beat off Koume and Kotake. But the resurrection still happened, though it was incomplete. Ganon was a raging beast, but had none of the intelligence and cunning your Ganondorf did possessed. Link defeated him easily."

"So that's how the villagers know me? Because someone who looked like me and had the same name saved them a hundred years ago?" Link asked.

Zelda elbowed him. "Don't you think that's more than just a coincidence?"

"It wasn't just that he looked like you or had the same name. In some ways, you are both the same as another Link who saved Hyrule long long ago."

"There's another one?!" Link cried exasperatedly.

"You are the latest reincarnation of the first Link. Zelda and Ganondorf are reincarnations, too."

"What?" Zelda gasped.

"All three of you are reincarnations of the first Link, the first Zelda, the first Ganon. Shortly after the Triforce was created, and the tiny kingdom of Hyrule was born, an evil man known as Ganon stole the Triforce of power and became very powerful. He captured Princess Zelda of Hyrule, who possessed the Triforce of Wisdom. Before she was captured, the Princess split the Triforce of Wisdom into eight shards and scattered them across Hyrule. A young hunter, known as Link, happened to be in the right place at the right time, and being very courageous and brave, he collected all eight shards and defeated Ganon, saving Zelda and Hyrule. Together he and Zelda made Hyrule strong."

"Wait, wait… All three of us are reincarnations? How many reincarnations of each of us have there been?" Link asked.

The Tree sighed, blowing a strong wind over Link and Zelda. "We're not sure. No one is sure. There have been many, though, and in some cases, the reincarnations of you and Zelda have saved more than one land, as was the case with Holodrum and Labrynna. We do know that every time one of you is born, the other two are born as well. So there are equal amounts of reincarnations."

"What does that mean?" asked Zelda.

"There's a formula. Ganon is born first. Then you two are born. Zelda is always the Princess of Hyrule, and Link is someone whose background puts him in the position to fight for Hyrule. Ganon threatens the land when Link and Zelda are young and inexperienced, and he usually kidnaps Zelda, since she is the key to accessing the Triforce. Link overcomes the odds and defeats Ganon, saving the Princess and the land."

Link frowned. "Has anyone else found out about this? The reincarnations, I mean."

"Not that we know of. Your new enemy, Narabi, may have discovered a few key points related to it, though."

"You know of Narabi, then?" Zelda looked perplexed. "What key points did she find?"

"Hoo-umm… she knows the secret of the Triforce's power. After the very first Link and Zelda defeated Ganon, the goddesses decided that the Triforce was too powerful to remain in the physical world, where anyone could access it. With the help of the sages, its power was split into the three forms it naturally takes: Power, Courage, and Wisdom. However, these three forms escaped the control of the goddesses and merged with the three beings they were most attracted to: Link, Zelda, and Ganon. Ganon received Power, because of his unchecked desire for control. Zelda, whose wisdom prevented the Triforce from falling into Ganon's hands initially, received Wisdom. And Link, who could've walked away at any time, and who instead saved Hyrule, received Courage."

"Did Ganondorf know some of this aw well, then? I remember at the end of the Temple of Time events he wanted to get those powers from us…" Link said.

"Ganondorf knew nothing of this until he took possession of what was left of the physical Triforce. After the powers were split between you, there was a physical form of the Triforce left, but it was not as powerful. However, Ganondorf's own Triforce gift amplified the power of the remaining Triforce and allowed him to conquer the land. Especially since you two were still very young."

"Once he gained control of the Triforce, he became aware of his own power and of the other two powers. He knew who possessed them, as well. Zelda, who was also gifted with the powers of a priestess, managed to hide hers when she concealed her power. Link, however, yours was not hidden. Ganon used you to draw Zelda out of hiding."

"Is it the power of the Triforce that keeps reincarnating us?" asked Zelda.

"Yes. When the Triforce of Power was given to the first Ganon, he was dead. It revived him, and Link and Zelda subdued him once again. They vowed to fight him as long as he appeared. And the Triforces naturally want to be together in the physical plane, so you three are born over and over again. Ganon is always born first; such is the nature of Power, to take control over those who are weaker. He always seeks out Zelda, as Power searches for easy Wisdom, and in the hopes that without Wisdom, Courage will fail in the face of Power."

Link laid back on the grass. "Wow."

Zelda relaxed beside him. "This is… so much. There's so much to be absorbed… And to think, if Narabi hadn't sent us here, we would've never known anything about this."

"Not necessarily," the Maku Tree boomed. "Your Deku Sprout would've told you some of this, though much of it would've come from the other Trees, such as myself. It is pertinent to your situation with Narabi."

Link sat up again. "What do you mean?"

"Narabi is going to resurrect the Triforce of Power."


	17. Narabi's Bind and Link's Past

Disclaimer: I do not own Zelda

Author's Note: Stupid tree… Oh yeah, this is the chapter where I finally explain all the other crap going on with our Hyrule drama, and finally finish with all the boring stuff. Next chapter will be more interesting, I promise.

* * *

"Narabi is going to resurrect the Triforce of Power," the Maku Tree boomed.

Zelda tried to correct him. "You mean Ganondorf."

"No. She only wants to resurrect the Triforce of Power. She thought she needed Princess Zelda, to use the Triforce of Wisdom and Zelda's family connection to the Triforce, but she discovered that the Triforce of Power wants to be resurrected. She also knows that she cannot defeat you two. She's a lot smarter than Ganondorf; she knows the Triforce's power has to be given willingly, which is why she let you go."

"What does she plan to do, then, if she knows she cannot defeat us, and the Triforce powers cannot be taken unwillingly?" Zelda asked.

"Your powers were bound by Narabi, correct?" the Tree asked.

"Yeah."

"And have you attempted to break the bind?"

"No.. should I?"

"I'm not sure… I can sense your power, so it is still there. The bind is made of pure darkness, it would require a burst of energy from the Triforce of Wisdom to break it. But… it would be very easy to break it. Almost too easy."

"Well, maybe Zelda is too powerful for Narabi to put a stronger bind on," Link suggested.

The Tree hoo-ummed thoughtfully. "Perhaps. It seems to easy, though. Wait to do anything until I consult with the other Trees. On the same note, I sense a darkness around Link, as well."

Zelda quickly turned to look at Link. "What's wrong? Did she do something to you too?"

"No," Link said slowly, "I don't feel anything, anyways. Wait, when she transported us, did you feel like something was clutching at your chest?"

"No, I just felt like I was being tossed around," Zelda told him.

"Hmm. I'm not sure what it could be. I shall consult with the other Trees and see what they think. Meanwhile, feel free to rest, visit with the villagers, explore, and I'll see what I can do for you," the Tree said.

"There's one more thing I'd like to ask. Before Narabi transported us, she told me I have more in common with them than I realized. Then she called me the King of the Gerudos."

"Hoo-umm… I was afraid you'd ask about that."

"Link can't be the King of the Gerudos! There's only one male born to them every hundred years, and that male was Ganondorf," Zelda said.

"Ganon was born fifteen years earlier than the next male was supposed to be born."

"So?" Link scoffed. "What does that matter?"

"If you're Gerudo, it does matter, because it meant he wasn't the true King. Narabi used dark magic to conceive a male child because she wanted to be the mother of the King. Also, she believed that because he was born of dark magic, he would be powerful. But it caused a rift in the Gerudos, between those who believed he was the King, and those who believed the King was yet to be born."

"So Narabi is Ganondorf's mother? That explains why she seemed familiar… But where do I come in?" Link asked.

"Fifteen years after Ganondorf was born, a young Gerudo woman disobeyed Gerudo law, fell in love with a Hylian man, and conceived his child. It wasn't long before Ganondorf discovered this. Everyone assumed, however, that the child would be a girl. Ganondorf decided to be lenient, and let the woman and her child live. Before the child's birth, he was called away from the fortress. When the woman gave birth, the child was a boy. The midwife, who was not a Ganondorf supporter, knew that the child must be the true King of the Gerudos."

"The woman and the midwife knew Ganondorf would kill the child as soon as he found out, so the woman fled with her baby that night. The baby looked Hylian, so the mother hoped he would have a chance if she hid him somewhere in Hyrule. Ganondorf, however, was alerted to the situation and gave pursuit."

"The woman had heard tales of a giant tree who guarded a village full of children who never grew up, so she headed for the Lost Woods, where it was rumored you could find this tree. The Great Deku Tree took the child in, and the woman left. She managed to hide for almost two weeks, before Ganondorf caught her and killed her. Try as he might, though, she never gave up the location of her child."

Link, who had never known his parents, felt a huge twinge of sadness course through him. "The Deku Tree… told me my mother was Hylian."

The Tree sighed sadly. "He wanted to protect you. From the moment he took you in, he knew that you were destined to fight Ganondorf, and he didn't want to add to the pain you were destined for. He was afraid the truth would destroy you."

Link bowed his head, feeling tears well up from the corners of his eyes. "I used to dream of her… when I was young. Saria was the only one that was there for me… She was the only one that cared."

Zelda put her arms around him and clutched his head to her bosom. "You avenged her death. Ganondorf is dead. And her son was saved, just like she wanted. Her son became the Hero of Time!"

"Link, you are the rightful King of the Gerudos," the Maku Tree boomed.

Link stood up abruptly. "The Gerudos can go to hell for all I care. They killed my mother!" He stormed away.

"Link! Wait!" Zelda ran after him, leaving the Tree alone.

"I hope all this doesn't come to what I think it will…" the Maku Tree grumbled before summoning the other Trees by thought.


	18. He Was Never Mine

Disclaimer: Nintendo owns Zelda

* * *

Malon and Tory were lying on separate cots in the Mayor's guest room. Arrikou's (that's the mayor) wife and daughters had given them clean clothing, fed them, and chatted for a while before leaving them alone. Tory was dozing, but Malon was wide awake. 

"I can't take this any more!" she cried, jumping up.

Tory, startled by her cry, fell off the cot. "Wha-??"

"I'm going to find out what they're doing." She stomped out of the house and towards the gates to the Maku Tree.

"Link! Wait!" Malon heard Zelda call. She dove behind some bushes nearby and peeked out.

Link came running out of the gates. Suddenly he stopped and put his hand up to his eyes. Malon noticed he was shaking. _Is he crying?_ She made to leave the bushed, but saw Zelda running after Link.

Zelda ran in front of Link and threw her arms around him.

"I wonder if he knew who I was… I wonder if whenever I was fighting him he was thinking how he killed my mother. If I had known… I would've made the bastard pay," Link said in a low, choked voice, which Malon could barely hear.

"Oh, Link…" Zelda clasped him tighter. Link put his arms around her and buried his head in her shoulder. They stood there for what seemed like an eternity.

_I wish I could be there for him like she can…_ Malon sadly realized that Link was never hers. He had always belonged to Zelda. Even when she had first met him, in the Marketplace and outside the castle, when she was looking for her father, before he'd even _met_ Zelda, he had still been hers.

She left the bushes and wandered near a stream running by the village. She followed the stream out of the village and found a natural clearing upstream, filled with soft, wavy grass. Collapsing to the ground, she began to cry.

Someone sat down beside her and patted her shoulder. Through eyes blurred with tears she turned to look at Tory. Malon threw her arms around him and cried into his shoulder. Tory blushed faintly, though Malon couldn't see it.

"Erm… is it because of Link?" he asked. Malon nodded. "Oh. I wondered. I saw him and Zelda."

"He never really loved me. He loves Zelda, he always has."

"Malon… the stories we've heard about the Hero of Time… he's destined to fight for Hyrule and other lands. He was born to fight. And… well, we gave shelter to an old Gerudo woman about a year ago, and she told us that Link is the King of the Gerudos."

"Ganondorf was King of the Gerudos. Link is Hylian," Malon told him.

"That's what we told her. But she said Ganondorf was born too early to be the true King, and that Link is half Gerudo. I don't know if it was true or not, but either way, the Hero of Time is supposed to lead a troubled life. I know you love him, but… I don't see someone like you getting caught up in that."

"What's that supposed to mean?" she asked indignantly, pulling away from him.

"Hey! I only meant that you don't fit in with that lifestyle! Link will constantly be away, fighting for other lands. Do you think you could wait at home, constantly worrying about his safety, while he takes months, maybe even years at a time to come back?"

Malon sniffed. "No…"

"Well, then, do you want to be there beside him, away from home all the time, watching him fight, or maybe even fighting with him?"

"No, I guess not…" She sighed. "It was all like a dream, when I was with him. Like a young girl's first crush, I guess. Actually, I think Link might have been my first crush. I was nine when I met him." She turned to Tory, who still had one arm around her, and looked him in the eye. "Thank you for being there."

Tory blushed, withdrew his arm, and quickly looked downwards. He started fidgeting with a blade of grass. "It was nothing. You were upset. I… I wanted to… make sure you were okay…"

Malon stared at him, seeing for the first time how his tousled brown hair gently fell down over his beautiful brown eyes, and how cute he looked when he blushed, as he was doing now. She felt her heart suddenly jump in her chest. _My heart is beating faster for him… It never did this for Link…_

She decided to test this quickening of her heartbeat and his sudden awkwardness. "What's wrong?" she asked.

"N-nothing, nothing." He kept his gaze downturned.

Malon grinned playfully and jumped on him, knocking him onto his back. "Gotcha!" she said from her vantage point on top of him, and started tickling him.

"Haha hee hee stop! Nooooo stop it ha ha!" He bucked beneath her, trying to get away. She unconsciously shifted her position to stay on, grinding her hips against his. He suddenly moaned and threw his head back.

Malon, thinking he was just responding to the tickling, continued, her movements translating to vibrations against his groin.

"Malon…" he pleaded. "Malon… Malon, stop!" His hands shot out and pulled her farther up on his body, so she rested on his stomach instead of on his hips.

She stopped, confused, and looked over her shoulder to see what the problem was. The "problem" was creating a rather large tent in the rather large pants Tory had been given to wear by the Mayor. "Oh," she said awkwardly, and turned back to him. He blushed deeply.

"I'm really sorry, Malon, it's just that you were moving against me and… I'm really –" He was cut short by Malon putting her hand over his mouth.

"You talk too much, Tory," she breathed, and lowered her mouth to his.

* * *

_Author's Random Insert: I put "Breathing" by Lifehouse on repeat to listen to while I was writing this chapter… it seemed to fit perfectly. Sorry about leaving the chapter in kind of a cliffhanger, but I thought it was cute. Did they have sex? Did they not? You decide…_

_Author's Notes/Thanks to Reviewers:_

_To Zombie Dragon: Thanks! I've got a free period between classes on MWF, so I like to relax and whatever during that. So that's when I've been doing a lot of my writing._


	19. Girl Talk & Zelda's Confession

Disclaimer: I do not own Zelda…

* * *

At dinner, Arrikou, his wife, and his daughters tried to engage Malon, Tory, and Zelda in conversation, but with little luck. Malon and Tory were too involved in giving each other sidelong looks, then blushing and turning away as soon as they caught the eyes of the other. Zelda stared down at her plate, which she had barely touched.

* * *

(flashback)

"I wonder if he knew who I was… I wonder if whenever I was fighting him he was thinking how he killed my mother. If I had known… I would've made the bastard pay," Link said in a low, choked voice.

"Oh, Link…" Zelda clasped him tighter. Link put his arms around her and buried his head in her shoulder. They stood there for what seemed like an eternity.

Link suddenly pushed her away. "I need to be alone."

"Link? Are you gonna be – "

"Zelda, I want to be alone!!!" He ran off, in the direction of the ocean.

Zelda had stood there, hurt, watching him go. Then she'd walked back to the Mayor's house.

* * *

Zelda sighed and stood up. "If you don't mind, I will take some food to Link."

"Of course not, dear," Arrikou's wife said.

Zelda collected some of the meat and bread in a napkin and walked outside. Malon ran after her. "Zelda! Hey, what's the matter? You didn't touch hardly any of your food."

"It's… Link. He's upset, and I don't know what I can do. He found out from the Maku Tree that his mother was Gerudo. Ganondorf wasn't the true King of the Gerudos. Link is. Ganondorf had his mother killed after she hid Link from Ganondorf."

"So what Tory said was true…" Malon looked thoughtful.

"What? Hey, I thought you were mad at me."

"I was, but then I realized, Link and I couldn't be together. I couldn't handle him being away from home all the time, and anyways, let's face it, we're just different people. Link was born to fight. I was born to raise cows and horses, and run a ranch."

"He told me he loved you…" Zelda started.

"That's the thing: he might have loved me, but he wasn't _in_ love with me. And come to think of it, I was never really in love with him, either. Link is in love with you, Zelda. He always has been. I don't know what's going on between you guys, but Zelda, if I know Link, he will never stop loving you."

"Thank you…" said Zelda, close to tears.

"Erm… Tory and I were going to go for a walk later, and… well, where are you and Link going to be at? Just so, you know, we don't, uhh, interrupt you guys or anything." Malon scuffed a foot across the ground, blushing slightly.

Zelda looked at her, a smile playing over her lips as she realized what was going on.

"What?" Malon asked. "Okay, fine! We like each other. It just kinda… happened, today." She blushed even more.

Zelda grinned. "Did you guys do anything? Or is that what you're planning on tonight?"

"Maybe…" Malon whispered, more to the ground than anything else.

"Well… just be careful, Malon." Zelda turned and started walking towards the beach. The ocean ran alongside a high cliff, with only a short stretch of sand between the lapping waves and the rocky cliffside. After walking for a while, Zelda came upon Link stretched out on a large, flat rock. He had his arms crossed above his head, and he was staring at the moon, which was almost full.

He didn't notice Zelda until she spoke. "It's beautiful tonight, isn't it?"

Link moved over on the rock so Zelda could climb onto it too. She sat beside him and handed him the napkin. "I brought you some food from dinner."

"Thank you." He sat up and ate it quickly.

Zelda watched him sadly. _He's being so distant…_ "Hey Link? Are you okay?"

"Fine," came the reply, but no eye contact. Link finished eating and looked out over the ocean.

"Link… what's wrong?"

"I guess… I guess I'm just tired of nothing good ever happening to me. There's always someone trying to hurt me and the people I love and care about. And then there's this, today. My mother was killed by Ganondorf, trying to save me. I'm supposed to be the Gerudo King. How am I supposed to come to terms with that? Hell, even the girl I love can't be with me. And I've pretty much driven Malon away from me now."

"Malon and Tory like each other," Zelda said abruptly.

"What?"

"They like each other. And she forgives you. She told me… she told me that you will always love me."

Link looked at her, surprised, then looked back at the ocean. "If you're worried about me doing anything, don't be. I told you I'd be honorable. You can't be with me, I understand that."

Zelda put a hand on his arm. "I'm here now, aren't I?" she asked softly. With one hand, she grabbed his chin and pulled him towards her, kissing him firmly on the lips.

Link pulled away after a few moments. "Zelda, I'm not going to do this again. It's just going to make it hurt that much more that I can't be with you."

"Link… I want to be with you. I'm going to ask my father to change the law. I'm sure he will. I don't know why I was so afraid to ask before… And as for the people of Hyrule, well, you said it yourself, who better for the Princess to marry than the one man who's proven himself over and over again to be able to protect Hyrule?"

He stared at her. "Does this mean…?"

"They accepted you as their savior, as their Hero, now… they'll have to accept you as their King… if you still want it, I mean." Zelda looked at him shyly.

"I want to be with you. But why the sudden change, Zelda? Before, you would've given anything to make Hyrule happy, and now you're saying they'll just have to accept me?"

Zelda sighed. "These past few days have really made me think. Do you remember when we first met? I loved you then. I didn't know that that was what it was, but all the same, it was there. And I have loved you since then. You're always saving me, whether it be from Ganondorf or even the time I knocked down that bee's nest. I want to be there for you, Link. I want to save you, like you save me. I know that sounds corny, but… it's true. I could never be happy without you."

"Zelda?"

"Hmm?"

"Say it."

"I love you, Link."


	20. Breaking the Ties That Bind

Disclaimer: I do not own Zelda

Author's Warning: There is a lemon in this chapter, but I tried my best to keep it T-rated. It was hard!

Author's Insert: I kept listening to "Falls on Me" by Fuel and "For You" by the Calling. They fit Link and Zelda perfectly! And they're great songs!

* * *

"Zelda?"

"Hmm?"

"Say it."

"I love you Link."

Link swept her into his arms and kissed her passionately. "I love you too, Zelda." Their lips met again and melted together, their tongues locked in a passionate duel.

**LEMON – be warned, I tried to keep it within the T rating…**

Zelda, who was lying on top of Link, pulled back and undid her top, tossing it onto the sand behind the rock. She then pulled off Link's tunic, exposing his rippling abdomen and strong arms. Link took the opportunity to lean up and gently flick one of Zelda's nipples with her tongue. She lost the strength in her arms as she moaned in pleasure, and fell back on top of Link. She buried her face in his neck, kissing up and down it as he ran his hands over her bare back and slipped his hands beneath her skirt to grasp her firm buttocks.

They switched positions, so Link was on top and Zelda was on bottom. He slowly made his way down to the waistband of her skirt, leaving gentle kisses and nibbles as he went. He pulled off her skirt, and slowly at first, then picking up speed, made Zelda gasp and moan his name, as she felt as though her entire body would explode from the pleasure he was giving the soft areas between her thighs.

Link could wait no longer. Every sigh, every moan, every small scream that escaped Zelda's lips made him want her that much more. Zelda watched eagerly as he pulled off his leggings and undergarments, and gently took his erection into her hands. She guided him into her, and he eased slowly in.

She gasped in pain as her maidenhead was broken by the entry. Link stopped and looked at her. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah… It's ok…" She smiled weakly. "I'm a virgin, remember?"

He leaned down and nuzzled her neck. "So am I…"

She started a little bit. "You are? You never… not even once? Not when you were away?"

"I couldn't stop thinking about you, Zelda. To sleep with any other girl... It would've felt wrong. Do you want me to stop?"

"No! No… just go slow at first."

Link eased into her again, and this time it felt much better for Zelda. She gasped again, this time in pleasure. Link smiled at her and began pumping rhythmically, in and out, getting used to the motions. He started to move faster as Zelda moaned and arched her back. Within minutes they both felt a built-up pressure within them, that yearned to be released.

Link clutched Zelda close as his body spasmed and she cried out his name in ecstasy.

**END LEMON**

Spent, Link held her in his arms and covered her with his tunic. They slept peacefully until the next morning.

* * *

Link and Zelda walked back hand in hand the next day, looking at each other and blushing. Malon came running up to them. "The Maku Tree wants to… are you guys holding hands?"

Link suddenly became very interested in the ground, so Zelda responded, "Yep!"

Malon winked at her before continuing. "The Maku Tree wants to see all of us right away. Hey Link? Mind if Zelda and I walk together? Just us girls?"

Link cleared his throat. "Sure." He walked ahead, out of earshot.

Malon looked at Zelda. "So? Did you guys work things out?"

"Yeah, I'm going to ask my father to change the law, and hopefully the people of Hyrule will accept him as their King. I'm just worried, cause there's a lot of old timers that still remember the civil war that almost split the country."

"I'm sure they won't have a problem with it. And if they do, just remind them of who's been keeping the peace in Hyrule for the past seven years! Who better to protect Hyrule as its King than the Hero of Time?"

"I just hope they'll see it that way… How was your date with Tory?" Zelda asked her.

Malon blushed deeply. "It was good," she mumbled.

Finally they reached the Maku Tree. Arrikou, Link, and Tory were waiting for them.

"Hoo-ummm…" said the Tree. "I conferred with some of the other Trees, and we want to see what happens when you break the bond."

"Do you think that's a good idea? I mean, is it safe?" Link asked.

"Hmm… it won't kill her. To be truthful, we're not entirely sure what it will do," the Tree said.

"I want to try it anyways," Zelda told them, and smiled at Link. He smiled back, but still seemed concerned.

"All right, everyone stand back," she warned. She closed her eyes and clasped her hands together, concentrating. She drew upon her Triforce of Wisdom, and flared her energy, focusing on the bind.

Those watching her saw her surrounded by a dark, purple light, which burst and left her glowing with a blue light.

The light suddenly faded. "I feel…" Zelda started weakly, then fainted. Link leapt forward and caught her before she hit the ground as everyone else started clamoring.


	21. Narabi's Plans Revealed

Disclaimer: I don't own Zelda…

* * *

Zelda awoke to find everyone hovering over her. Link was holding her hand. "What… how long was I out?" 

"About fifteen minutes," Link told her.

"Did it work?" she asked. She tried to sense everyone near her. She could sense an immense strength coming from the Maku Tree, a little bit of strength from Arrikou, Tory, and Malon, and the comforting strength of Link's power. _Except… why is there a darkness in him?_

"Ohh… my head hurts… I was trying to sense everyone's strength and now my head hurts even worse…" she groaned.

"Just relax. Don't try to use your powers. The Maku Tree thinks that… well, maybe Narabi screwed up your powers," Link said.

"Hoo-umm," boomed the Tree. "Zelda? Could you summon a spell for me? A small one. Don't use a lot of energy."

Zelda cupped her hand and a little ball of blue light formed in it. "I feel okay… except my headache is getting worse. Wait… it feels like it's draining my strength! Yes, I feel weaker." The light stopped.

"I was worried about that. Narabi put another spell on you, hidden in the bind. You cannot use your powers without draining your strength. Use too much power… the consequences could be great."

Link growled deep in his throat. "You were concerned about that, yet you didn't let us know about it?!

Arrikou's younger daughter, Aria, ran up to them. "Daddy daddy! There's a big monster near the village! He's got a big spear!"

"Where at?" Link asked quickly.

"Me an' my sister were playing by Nonna Impa's hut and he jumped out and growled at us and we ran away! Ellie went to tell Momma." She pointed to the north. "He's that way!"

"Wait, did you say Impa?" Zelda asked.

"I'll take care of it." Link ran out of the gates and to the northern end of the village. The rest of the gang followed after him.

He saw the Moblin in the distance and drew his sword, without stopping. His body began to shake with rage as he drew the Master Sword, and his eyes flashed red.

Zelda, who was running a bit behind him, could've sworn she saw a darkness surround him.

Link jumped into a flying kick, which knocked the Moblin down easily. He stepped on its chest and pointed his sword at it. "Who send you? Why are you threatening these people?"

The Moblin laughed at him, in a weird huffing sound. Link's face scrunched up with anger and he decapitated the Moblin with one swing of the Master Sword. Malon screamed, and Zelda gasped. _I've never seen Link like that before… what has gotten into him?_

"Link!" She ran over to him and grabbed his arm. He turned and glared at her, before blinking twice.

"What?" He looked at the Moblin. "Did I do that?"

"Of course you did! You don't remember?"

Link frowned. "It was like I was… trapped in a red haze. He threatened the girls, and I got angry at him for that. I don't know what came over me…"

An elderly lady hobbled out of a nearby hut. "Why, hello, Mayor. Arrikou, isn't it? I can't keep up with you youngsters nowadays." She turned and gave the rest of the gang a once-over, her gaze coming to rest on Link and Zelda. "Princess! Hero! You have returned! How have you stayed so young? It must have been a hundred years since I last saw you!"

Link just stared at her, but Zelda gasped in recognition. "Impa?!"

"Why yes, dear. I was too injured to travel back to Hyrule with you, remember?"

"Err… no, actually. See, we're reincarnations of that Link and Zelda," she explained.

"Oh, I see." Impa didn't seem surprised. She looked at Malon. "Are you one of Malon's descendants? You're the spitting image of her. Such a nice girl she was. Hopeless with Cuccos, though."

"Wh-what? No, I come from Hyrule, my family has been there for ages. My great-great grandfather built Lon Lon Ranch, and our family has been there ever since."

"Hmm… are you another reincarnation, then?"

"N-no… not that I know of… Does your Malon have descendants living around here, then?"

"Why, yes, if my poor old memory serves me right, then they live just past those trees."

Without a word, Malon turned and ran in the direction Impa indicated. Tory ran after her, calling, "Wait! Malon!"

Zelda gasped. "Then my Impa must be a reincarnation of you!"

Link frowned. "That makes no sense, Zelda… This Impa isn't dead. Your theory has a couple of holes, it seems."

She stared at Link for a moment. _Why is he acting weird?_ "We should ask the Maku Tree."

"Yes, let's consult the Maku Tree. I haven't spoken with him in ages!" Impa told them.

"Are you sure your old body will make it there?" Link asked rudely.

"Young man, I may be old, but I can still put you in your place!" she barked.

Link sneered. "That'd be interesting to see."

Zelda put a hand on his arm. "Stop it! Link, you're being rude."

"She started it. Going on about all that 'I'm old' crap."

Tory walked towards them, bearing a limp Malon in his arms, followed by six or seven redheaded children and a woman in her thirties who looked a lot like a future Malon. "She fainted when she saw them," he explained.

The woman walked up to them. "Good day, your Highness, Hero. I am Cremia, of Cucco Ranch. My grandmother was named Malon, as well, and she was friends with someone who looked a lot like yourself, Hero."

"It could've been a coincidence. Are you sure you haven't had any relatives move away, to Hyrule or anything?" Link asked.

"No. Actually, I am the first to bear this many children. Before this, the women of our family had only one child, a daughter. I am blessed to have this many children. But in answer to your question, no, no one from our family has moved out of Holodrum." Cremia smiled at her children, who were all staring openmouthed at Link and Zelda.

"Thank you for coming out to meet us," Zelda told her.

"She looks exactly as my grandmother did when she was younger. I used to have a painting of my grandmother Malon, but we lost it in a housefire some years back. When I saw her, I had to come meet the people traveling with her. I am honored to meet you."

Zelda sighed. "Now, more than ever, we need to see the Deku Tree."

* * *

Narabi grinned widely as she felt Zelda break the bond she had placed on the girl, and even wider when she felt Link's own curse awaken. Her plans were coming to life. That Moblin being near the village had been a stroke of luck, too. She'd managed to take control of him easily and use him to threaten the two little girls playing near the edge of the village. 

Zelda's curse was designed to drain Zelda's life force whenever she used her Triforce powers. And since Zelda's priestess powers were by now so intricately entwined with the Triforce of Wisdom, her life force would be drained whenever she used those, too. Not every plan worked perfectly, and Narabi knew that because of the sheer power of the Triforce of Wisdom, Zelda would regain her strength, instead of having it remain drained. Narabi had forseen that, however. She was still confident the plan would work.

She was even more proud of Link's curse. Whenever Link used the Triforce of Courage, it would fill him little by little with a growing hatred towards the thing he already felt the most pain for. Trent, her spy and the king's advisor, had given her the information that led to the idea for this curse. He had overheard some of Link and Zelda's conversations, and most of Link's conversation with Link. And Narabi had realized, why use Zelda against her will to regain some of the power from the Triforce of Power when she could sway Link to her side, and regain ALL of the Triforce of Power?

She smiled. Link, who was angry with Zelda and the entire kingdom of Hyrule for not letting him be with the one he loved, would channel the curse on his Triforce into these outlets, which he already felt pain for. And soon, his hatred would consume him enough to turn against Zelda and Hyrule, leading him straight to Narabi to take his rightful place as the King of the Gerudos. And the Gerudos would accept him, too. All of them. Having had a vague involvement with Ganondorf's plans during the Temple of Time events, she could remember some events from it, such as how easily the Gerudo accepted him as a visitor to their lands and the respect they showed him. They would accept him as their King. He may have to prove himself, but that wouldn't be a problem for one so talented.

Narabi laughed out loud to herself. She would succeed where her son had not. With Link at her side, and Zelda's probable death from trying to save either Link or Hyrule by using her powers, she could have Hyrule at her feet. And then... well, there were a lot of smaller kingdoms surrounding Hyrule, as well...

* * *

_Author's Note: I honestly have no idea what Malon's background history is OoT-wise. Any information would be extremely helpful, though._

_So now you have Narabi's intentions revealed. Mwahahahah! But what does this have to do with the reincarnations and the Triforce? Why am I suddenly taunting you with information you do not have? Hmm..._


	22. Leaving the Village

Disclaimer: I do not own Zelda…

Author's Note: You remember how Navi was in the story like way long ago? In chapter 7, I think? Ehh… well, I kinda forgot about her after that. So, I made a minor addition to chapter 8 about Navi having gone with Saria and the Sages to confer with them.

* * *

Everyone was spread out in the Maku Tree's clearing. Cremia had joined them after sending her children back to their father at the ranch, and she stood by Impa, helping the elderly woman. Malon had revived, but clung close to Tory. Arrikou stood near Impa and Cremia. Link stood in front of the Maku Tree, arms crossed over his chest. Zelda stood beside him, one hand on his arm.

"Hoo-umm…" said the Maku Tree, processing all that they had told him. "The Sheikah live long, do they not?"

"Yes," Zelda and Impa said at the same time.

"I suppose it is possible that both your Impa and this Impa are reincarnations of an Impa from long ago. I do recall mention of an elderly woman who helped the original Link in his quest to save Zelda, but I don't think a name was ever recorded. Perhaps… as each reincarnation of Link, Zelda, and Ganon get more powerful, the Triforces naturally reach out for people to help them. These two are reincarnations of the original Impa, not reincarnations of each other. So it is possible, since the land had need of them, and the Sheikahs live a long time, that there could be two reincarnations living at once."

"But what about me?" Malon asked. "What use does the Triforce have for me?"

"It would seem you are there to be a friend to Link, and to guide him. The Malon from Holodrum helped Link as part of a trading sequence that led to Link receiving the Noble Sword."

Malon looked up at Link. "Wow."

"Link!" a tiny voice called. Link looked around. "Who said that?"

Something fluttered in front of him, and Navi appeared- or at least, a see-through version of Navi. "Link! Listen!"

Link poked a finger through the image of Navi floating in front of him. "What's wrong with you? Why are you like that?"

"Nabooru and Impa are combining their powers to make a projection of me, since it's too far to travel quickly. They say hi, by the way. So do all the others."

"Oh. Tell them hi, I guess."

"Why are they projecting you to talk to us? What's going on?" Zelda asked Navi.

"Narabi has evil plans for the two of you. Somehow, she's going to use you to revive the Triforce of Power. But what she doesn't know is that if she calls on the full power of the Triforce of Power, it will resurrect Ganondorf himself! The Sages fear that with Zelda's power being cursed right now, Link's strength alone may not be enough to defeat Narabi and a newly resurrected Ganondorf!"

Link asked, "How do you know about the curse on Zelda? And all that other stuff?"

Navi sighed in her tiny little fairy voice. "The Deku Sprout told us, Link. The Trees can talk to one another. And Saria, who is the Forest Sage, can speak mentally with the Deku Sprout. Enough about what I know. You two need to get back to Hyrule as soon as you can!"

"If Narabi needs Link and Zelda to revive the Triforce of Power, wouldn't it be better if they stayed away from Hyrule?" Malon pointed out.

"Normally, yes. But she will send monsters after you. And she has enough followers that she can cause a lot of trouble for Hyrule. And… Zelda, I'm so sorry… the King has fallen ill. We don't know if it is a spell, or a poison, or just his age, but he has fallen seriously ill, and Trent his advisor is making decisions in his stead. We suspect that Trent is a servant of Narabi's."

Zelda gasped and looked faint. "We must go! I won't forgive myself if anything happens to my father while I'm not there!"

"I have to go now. Just be careful! Something bad is on the horizon, something we don't yet know of. Take care, all of you." And with that, Navi's projection blinked out of sight.

* * *

The villagers bid them farewell the next morning, gathered at the village entrance. Cremia's daughters clung to Malon, perhaps recognizing something in her that they saw in their mother. Link showed a group of young boys a "magic" trick that he said would warn monsters to stay away. Zelda was being hugged and thanked by the villagers, as Hyrule had at several times protected the smaller country.

Cucco Ranch had prospered enough that Cremia's family had begun to purchase and breed horses. Cremia's husband, Mehitou, led four of them to the village for the group to ride. The old man made another appearance. "Hyrule is due west from here. Ride away from the sunrise, and you shall reach Hyrule. After you get out of the forest, you shall get to a road that you can take the rest of the way back. It is about five weeks' travel by wagon, but it should be quicker by horse. Farewell."

And with much waving and cries from the villagers, the group mounted the horses and rode into the forest away from the rising sun. They stopped around midday for lunch, then kept going until sundown, when they stopped to make camp. The first thing Link did was to try to make a marker pointed west.

"What are you doing?" Malon asked.

"We need something to tell us which way west is in case it is cloudy or something tomorrow."

Tory fished something out of his pocket. "Would this be better?" He held out his hand to show an old compass. "My dad found this and gave it to me in case I ever got lost."

Link growled and kicked his marker. "Why didn't you say something before?!"

Zelda, who was pulling some food out of the saddlebags on her horse, said, "He probably didn't think of it, Link. Let's just be grateful he has one in case we need it."

Nothing eventful happened over the next two weeks, except that Tory managed to knock himself by riding into a branch, and that Zelda got a touch of poison ivy on her hands when she was picking some berries for a snack for the road. They traveled by day and stopped at sundown. Link was still acting grumpy a lot of the time, especially toward Zelda. Dark rings began to appear beneath his eyes.


	23. Link's Decline and Zelda's Hidden Talent

Disclaimer: I do not own Zelda

* * *

It had been two weeks since they had left Horon Village, and they were still in the forest. Link slept fitfully that night. He dreamed Narabi was calling out to him to be the King of the Gerudos, and he was trying to kill her. Suddenly, he was dressed in Gerudo regal clothing, and it turned out he was trying to kill Zelda, who was pleading with him. Link laughed- and it came out as Ganondorf's laugh.

He awoke, covered in sweat. He was trying to calm his breathing when he heard crashing in the bushes. Link jumped to his feet, drawing his sword, which was lying beside him. "Show yourselves!"

His cry awoke Zelda, Malon, and Tory, who started asking what was going on. They were cut short by four blue Moblins appearing in the clearing they had camped out in. The Moblins growled ferociously.

Tory and Malon armed themselves with large branches from their wood pile. Zelda, meanwhile, summoned some of her power.

The Moblins attacked, stabbing with their spears. Link quickly slew one of them, then dispatched another. He turned and saw Tory and Malon bludgeoning a third, while Zelda, mindful of the forest, shot ice balls at the fourth Moblin. Her movements were slowing as the curse drained her of her strength.

Link shoved her aside and killed that Moblin, who was half frozen by now anyways. He then stuck his sword through the head of the Moblin Tory and Malon were fighting, effectively ending the battle.

He sheathed his Master Sword after wiping it on the clothing of the dead Moblin. "I could have handled that. You morons are only going to get yourselves hurt if you fight them."

"You're welcome," Malon said sarcastically.

Link mounted his horse. "Get on your horses. We're moving before more of them find us."

"Link! It's still hours till daylight!" Zelda told him.

"I don't care, Zelda. I don't need more of your excuses. Tory! Which way is west?"

Tory pulled out the compass. "That way," he said, pointing. Link urged his horse in the direction Tory had indicated. After a puzzled look at one another, the other three mounted their horses and followed after him.

* * *

A couple days later, they came to a bridge being guarded by three sword-bearing Moblins. Link made quick work of them, becoming increasingly more irritated. Zelda took one of the dead Moblin's swords for herself. Two days later, they made camp early so that Link and Tory could hunt for food to supplement their dwindling supplies. While they were gone, an Iron Knuckle attacked their camp, where Zelda and Malon were.

Zelda reacted on instinct as soon as she saw the armor-clad monster, bearing a giant battle axe, and grabbed the sword she had taken earlier. Adapting her style of fighting to the sword, she darted around her enemy, striking it with lightning-quick blows.

She'd been trained in the Sheikah way of fighting, mostly by Impa, and had even taken lessons using weapons from an expert. However, her status as royalty prevented her from ever being allowed to fight real monsters in a kill-or-be-killed situation. While practices mimic real fights, in practice, one is trained to merely strike the skin of an opponent, and in a real fight, one must not only strike the skin, but aim to slice all the way through.

The Iron Knuckle took advantage of an opening in Zelda's defense and swung at her. Zelda managed to dodge the main force of the blow, but the axe cut deep into her left arm. She fell back, gasping, as blood soaked the arm of her tunic. The Iron Knuckle advanced in for the kill, and Zelda found the strength at the last second to shove her sword through a chink in its armor. It fell upon her, dead. "Zelda!" she heard Malon cry, before she slipped into unconsciousness.

* * *

Link jumped into the clearing, sword drawn, having heard the battle. Tory followed, tripping over a root and falling into the clearing.

Seeing that the Iron Knuckle was dead, he sheathed his sword and heaved it off of Zelda. He ripped off the arm of the tunic to reveal the bleeding gash on Zelda's arm. He turned to Malon. "I'll take care of it. Could you go with Tory and help him? We felled a deer in the forest."

Malon stared at him. _This is the first I've seen him act normal in three weeks!_ She nodded and grabbed Tory's hand, leading him out of the clearing.

Link felt like this was the first in a long while that his head was actually clear. _I should've been there to protect her. Still, she fought off that thing all by herself? And with a sword?! Iron Knuckles are skilled warriors._ He got some water and a cloth and cleaned her wound. He ripped the other arm off of the ruined tunic and used it to bind her arm.

Zelda stirred. "Link?" she asked. _He still cares…_ During the entire two weeks they'd been traveling, Link had shown very little affection towards her. She got maybe the occasional hug or smile, and only a couple of kisses. It had made her wonder whether it had been a mistake to open herself up to him, and tell him she loved him.

"Just relax, Zelda. You've done quite enough for one day," he said gently. "Otherwise, we'll have to start calling _you_ the Heroine of Time!"

He finished binding her arm. "There, that should be good. No healing that, now. You're not allowed to use your priestess powers! I have to say, I'm impressed. Not many can fight off an Iron Knuckle. I wonder what it was doing here? They generally guard the temples."

"Impa trained me in the Sheikah ways. She also suggested I train with weapons, though I'm nowhere as good as you are, Link."

Link looked even more impressed. "You trained with the Sheikah?"

"While you were away, I wanted to prove to you I wasn't useless in battle, and during the Temple of Time events, I was trained by the Sheikah, so why not now? It was Impa's idea."

Link held her close. "You're not useless. Zelda, I don't know what's wrong with me lately. Every time I fight something, I feel more and more angry at… Hyrule… at you."

Zelda frowned. "Maybe Narabi did something to you too. Maybe whenever you use your Triforce power, your rage grows. Link! You can't use your powers any more either."

"I will use them if I have to protect you, Zelda. That's what matters to me. It's the only thing that matters to me." He leaned down and kissed her passionately. Zelda moaned and deepened the kiss, attempting to pull Link down onto her.

Link broke away. "You're injured."

Zelda sat up and before Link could stop her, a blue light surrounded her arm. "Not any more." Suddenly she sagged, and Link caught her and rested her head in his lap. She smiled up at him weakly. "Guess I'm not as strong as I thought I was."

"You've been using your powers, haven't you? You're not so weak that a simple healing would make you lose strength. Why have you been using your powers?" Link asked her.

"I wanted to see how much longer till we're out of the forest. And I wanted to see where the monsters were coming from."

Link sighed. "I can't even yell at you. I was wondering the same things."

"We'll be out of the forest by sundown tomorrow, then we've got another week till we reach Hyrule. And the monsters were sent by Narabi."

Link growled. "Narabi…" His eyes flashed red.

Zelda struggled upright. "Link, no! Stay with me!" She flung her arms around him.

Link struggled with the red mist in his mind, which threatened to envelop him. He fixed onto Zelda's face, using it as a lifeline.

Zelda kissed him, and after a few moments, the mist faded and Link kissed her back. Soon they found themselves without clothes, lying on top of Link's tunic, using it as an impromptu blanked.

Tory and Malon, heading back after taking care of the deer, heard Zelda cry out. They raced into the clearing to find Link and Zelda locked together in a very passionate embrace. Blushing heavily, Tory and Malon left the food in the clearing and snuck off.

Tory asked, "You wanna follow suit?"

"Pervert," Malon grumbled, but she kissed him all the same, and soon they were locked in their own passionate embrace.

* * *

Nighttime saw two very happy couples sitting around a warm fire, eating roasted meat and some berry pies of Malon's invention. All curses, powers, royalty, enemies, and missions were forgotten as the four teenagers relaxed in each other's company, not knowing and not caring what the next day would bring them. 


	24. The Final Straw

Author's note: Okay, so it's been forever since I updated this, but hey, I'm back again and hopefully sticking with it until the end

* * *

The new morning greeted them with a red sky, giving all of them a feeling of unease as they packed their camp and prepared to leave. Link was in the bushes a short distance away when he heard crashing in the bushes and a scream from Malon. He sprinted back to the camp to see the smoking carcass of a Moblin heaped on the ground in front of a collapsed Zelda.

Malon was shivering fiercely nearby, in the arms of Tory. "She… It came straight for me and she stopped it… Oh, Zelda…"

Link knelt by her and saw she was still breathing weakly. In awe of her strength even when cursed by it, he slowly started to pick her up.

They heard more crashing in the bushes. Link deposited Zelda into Tory's arms. "Get on the horses, and go. Quickly!"

"Link, no! Your curse!" Malon gasped.

"I'll be okay, Malon. Take care of Zelda!" He sprang towards the noises and found himself facing two Iron Knuckles. He grinned widely at them, showing all of his teeth. "Trying to hurt my friends, Narabi? I don't think so."

He dispatched the first Knuckle with ease, sliding his sword through a chink in the armor, but his sword became trapped by the thick plating as the dead monster fell to the ground. Link wrestled fruitlessly with the trapped Master Sword for a few seconds before giving up and grabbing the giant axe once wielded by the monster. With a great roar and a swing of the axe, the second Iron Knuckle's armored head fell to the ground as its body slowly sagged behind it.

Without the Master Sword in his hands to act as a mild barrier, Link's vision was filled with the red mist as he struggled to subdue the rage inside him brought on by the curse.

"Link?" A voice called. Dimly, through the mist, he could see Zelda.

"Link, I need to talk to you. I don't… think I can go through with marrying you. I've been thinking about it, and with my father ill, I'm going to need to nurse him back to health, and take over running Hyrule for a while. With the land in such a struggle, I don't think I can announce to them that I'm marrying the Hero of Time when they want me to marry a king from another land. Please don't be mad at me Link. I love you, but we'll just have to be friends for now. I can't even risk having a secret affair with you. Please understand me Link. I love you, but we can't be together." Zelda ran away crying.

The red mist swelled almost as rapidly as the anger within him, even as a small voice wondered if that was really Zelda. That voice was quickly shut up as Link's heart was consumed by a black force, a dark anger that suppressed all of the good parts of him, leaving only rage and despair.

He freed the Master Sword and sheathed it, and stormed through the bushes back to camp.

"Link? Is everything okay?" Malon asked, inhaling sharply as she saw the bleak anger in his eyes.

"NO I'M NOT OKAY. Why does everyone feel the need to ask me stupid, pointless questions? Why don't you keep your mouth shut if you don't have anything intelligent to say?"

Tory balled his hands into fists. "You have no right to speak to her like that. She was worried about you!"

"Oh, so the cow boy has something to say, does he? You're protecting her? Ha! That's funny… Kid, you'll never me as good as me. She'll always want her Hero of Time, not some dumb ranch hand. Face it, you don't even compare to me."

Tory lunged at him, tackling him to the ground. They scuffled for a few moments, until Link punched Tory hard enough in the stomach that he doubled up in pain. Link got to his feet, wiping away a small trickle of blood from his lip. "Not worth my time." And he kicked Tory one last time before walking to his horse.

Zelda stirred on top of her horse, where Tory had placed her. "Link… What's going on? What's happening?"

"So glad to see you're awake, Princess." Link sneered at her.

She sat up. "Link… Your curse has taken hold. You've got to fight it!"

"Curse? Has anyone stopped to think that maybe, just maybe, you had a curse on me, too? And this curse undid the other one, so that I could see you for who you really are?"

"What are you talking about, Link?"

"You're a coldhearted bitch. You've been playing with me this entire time, preying on my feelings for you. How long were you going to wait before you decided for sure you want to marry me?"

"Link, we talked about this. I'm going to ask my father to change the law, and then we'll be married."

"Are you sure that's what you want? What about marrying a king from another land? Protecting your people with a powerful ally? Your father is sick right now, which means you'll have to be the one to protect and guide Hyrule. You'd put them first, and worry about our marriage later. You know it's true."

"Link, I…" Zelda hung her head.

"See? You can't even deny it. I'm through with you. I'm through with your twisted games, Princess. Oh, and just so you know, I was lying when I said you were the first. I just wanted to make sure you didn't chicken out like before."

Link climbed upon his horse. "I go now to claim my rightful place… as King of the Gerudos!!" And he galloped away.


	25. Return of the King

Link entered Narabi's desert palace, expecting to be stopped by the Gerudo guards, the beautiful but deadly women the Gerudos were known for. Instead, they bowed to him as he strode through the grand hallway and threw open the gilded doors. Narabi was seated on her throne.

"Narabi… I have come to claim my rightful title as the King of the Gerudos!" he shouted, shaking the rafters with his voice.

"Link… No, forgive me. King Link, I accept your claim, and so shall all Gerudos, for he is one of us!"

The throne room began to fill with Gerudo women, elders and warriors and servants, for though they held to a rigid caste system, all the Gerudo were allowed their voice, no matter their stature.

Link seated himself on the throne and Narabi knelt in front of him. "King Link… I saw the error of my ways a long time ago. Ganondorf could never truly be King of the Gerudos, and I was young and foolish to mess with the black magics like I did. It made him truly evil, and I see now that his evil made him weak. You, the true king, are strong and uninfluenced by evil. At every turn, no matter what temptation, you overcame it without so much as a second thought. You are wise beyond your years, and strong. You will be a great leader, and the Gerudo will be unstoppable in our conquests!"

Link grinned at her, showing so many teeth that it gave her shivers. "I haven't forgiven you for that little curse you set upon me, Narabi… Don't forget that."

"I was merely trying to bring you to us sooner, before that wretched Princess snared you and kept you for herself."

Link's face flickered at the mention of Zelda, but the smoldering anger quickly came back. Narabi resolved not to make mention of Zelda until the curse had settled in completely. Damn that girl… Her name alone could break everything I've accomplished.

A Gerudo elder spoke up. "Why is this Hylian man being granted an audience with us? Explain yourself, Narabi."

Link stood up. "I can explain for myself. I have come to claim my birthright as your king, the King of the Gerudos!"

There was a massive uproar in the hall. "Impossible!" "He's Hylian!" "Kill him!" "How dare you mock us!"

"QUIET!" Narabi shouted, and waited for the voices to subside. "Many of you don't believe me. Many of you didn't believe me when I gave birth to Ganondorf so many years ago. 'Black magic,' many of you said. 'It's too early for the King to return,' you said. Well, I am here today to tell you that you were right. I used black magic to conceive Ganondorf. And he was corrupted by it, and led us Gerudos into ruin."

"Some of you may remember our sister Akana, who fled our land with her child seventeen years ago. She had broken one of our laws and fell in love with a Hylian man. Ganondorf, still young then, punished her by killing the man she loved, but permitted her to have the child, believing it would be a girl that would be added to his kingdom."

"Akana gave birth to a boy, and that boy grew to become the man you see standing here today."

An uproar rose again, and Narabi was forced to wait until the voices subsided to continue.

"The midwife that was present when Akana gave birth is here now. Midwife Tahira, please tell them of that fateful night."

An elderly, bent lady hobbled from the shadows to Narabi's side. Though her body was old and frail, her voice rang out strong into the hall. "It was seventeen years ago, and young Akana went into labor on a dark, stormy night. The birth was hard on her, and I was surprised she and the child survived it. But she was determined to have the child, to reclaim a small part of her lover who was killed by Ganondorf." Tahira's eyes flickered towards Link, and then towards Narabi before resuming her story.

"I was a nonbeliever in Ganondorf's kingship. I was sure that Narabi had conspired to give birth to a male child somehow. Many of us believed the fated male king would be born soon. When I first held the child after it was born, there was no doubt that this was the true king of the Gerudos. He bore the mark, too. Ganondorf never had this mark, as far as I'm aware."

"I knew the child would not be safe if he remained within our lands, because Ganondorf," and again, her eyes flickered towards Narabi, "would not allow this true king to survive long enough to challenge him. So I urged Akana to flee somewhere safe. Thankfully, the child looked more Hylian than Gerudo, so he would be able to blend in. Akana fled, but not before word got back to Ganondorf, and he pursued as quickly as he could. She successfully hid the child, but was caught and killed by Ganondorf when she would not reveal where she hid the child, the true king."

Narabi smiled at the gathered women. "And how do we find this mark you spoke of? How do we prove that Link, Hyrule's Hero of Time, is the King of the Gerudos?"

Tahira turned towards Link. "Take your shirt off, young man." Link shrugged and pulled off his tunic and the undershirt beneath it, revealing his well toned chest and abdomen, spotted here and there with scars from his numerous battles. Several Gerudo women looked on appreciatively. Scars were the mark of a warrior, of his bravery in battle and his ability to survive.

Tahira produced a knife and sliced her palm without flinching. "The mark becomes present only when Gerudo blood is spilled upon it." And she slapped her bleeding palm to Link's chest, directly over his heart, and smeared the blood over it. She then wiped the blood away partially to reveal a dark symbol now visible on his chest, the seal of the Gerudos. A ripple of noise went through the crowd of Gerudo.

"Now do you believe? Now will you accept Link as your rightful King of the Gerudos?" Narabi cried, lifting her arms up to beseech the crowd.

They greeted her with a roar. "King Link!!" Everyone bowed to him. Link smiled darkly at the crowd as he settled back into the throne.


	26. Zelda Gets Her Turn

Author's Note: So yeah, in this chapter, Zelda finally gets to kick some ass and try to save Link for once! Sheik is kind of her alter ego here, and still a girl (sorry to disappoint you yaoi fans...). The story also is a lot darker in this chapter, due to blood and carnage, and Link being a jerk.

* * *

Zelda pushed her horse faster, urging it on towards the desert lands of the Gerudo. She had left Tory and Malon at the end of the forest. They were going to ride straight to Hyrule castle and expose Trent for the imposter he was. Zelda was going to face the Gerudos alone. She didn't want anyone else to get hurt. She stopped at a secret outpost along the way, one of the hideaway storage spots the Sheikah had created all over the land of Hyrule once upon a time. After gathering a few items she continued along her way at breakneck speed.

Mentally, she reviewed all of the training she had ever received, priestess powers, different weapons, her extensive Sheikah training… She would need to call on every ounce of her physical prowess and skills to get to Link, since she would need to save her magical strength to try to break the curse on Link. She wasn't sure if it could be done; it was a very powerful bond that was growing stronger, and she was almost positive that the magic required to break it would kill her. She only hoped that if she had to die, that the curse would be broken on Link.

She decided to lay low in the cave she and Link had shared only a short time ago. Closing her eyes, she slipped into a dreamless sleep, resting herself for the trials ahead.

She awoke after only a few hours to find that twilight had settled. Perfect, more cover. She dressed quickly into the Sheik outfit she had picked up at the outpost, and slung the wakazashi and a few throwing stars about her waist. She preferred the shorter wakizashi instead of a full length katana or a broadsword like Link's because it was smaller, faster, and easier for her to handle. A small crossbow and quiver rested in a shoulder sling. She pulled up her mask and slipped into the twilight desert.

The Sheik outfit, while not necessary, gave her a confidence that bolstered her, picturing herself as a fighting machine, a living weapon bent on one thing: saving Link. It was her turn. All those years, any time she got into trouble, he was there to save her. This time, he was the one in trouble, and she was called upon to save the love of her life, of all of her previous lives.

She dispatched the front few guards easily with either an arrow that silenced them immediately or a slice to the throat. She was alive and one with her weapons and her body, tuned into the smallest currents in the air and the noises her opponents made.

Landing in the open courtyard before the gates, she was immediately set upon by a dozen fierce Gerudo warriors. Before they could surround her, she leaped high, slashing furiously with the wakizashi in one hand, and firing shots at her targets with the crossbow. She flung the crossbow aside and landed in a crouch, disemboweling one of the guards in the same move.

The last two guards advanced upon her, but she slew them and moved through the gates before they had a chance to mount a defense. Zelda had always been a peaceful girl, hating conflict, but now, glancing back at the path of carnage and blood she had left, she felt more alive than she ever had before, consumed by the euphoria of the fight.

Inside the gates, there were only a few guards to stop her, and she dealt with them and slammed open the gilded doors.

She stepped into the throne room, wakizashi dripping with Gerudo blood at her side. "Narabi! Release your foul curse on Link!"

Narabi merely nodded graciously from her throne. "My King, why don't you deal with this one yourself?"

Link rose from the throne, stretching himself to his full height. Zelda gasped. _He's wearing Gerudo clothes… those look like Ganondorf's old clothes!_

"I am honored that you, the Princess of Hyrule, would visit us. What brings you here, your Highness?" Link mocked her.

"Link! Snap out of it! It's Narabi's curse that's doing this to you! Please, Link! I love you!"

"I'm doing this of my own free will, Zelda. I am tired of your mind games, I told you this before. And I have my own people to rule now. Besides, their laws do not permit me to marry an outsider. Sorry, Zelda, but I have to protect my own people. I hope you understand."

His words stung her. "Then I have no choice but to fight you and try to lift this curse, this veil over your eyes."

Link laughed. "I have a better idea. Narabi?"

"Yes, my King?"

"You will fight the Princess for your King."

Narabi's eyes widened slightly. This was unexpected. "My King?"

"Yes, you. Fight her. I have yet to see you fight, and this would please me greatly."

Narabi shrugged and unsheathed her rapier. Everyone still remaining in the great hall backed against the wall to give them room. "I've waited for this for years, Princess. You will not be the one to take my King from me once again." She launched herself at Zelda with a snarl.

Zelda blocked and lashed out with her blade, scoring first blood on Narabi's arm.

"You're good, Princess," Link called.

The women's blades met once again, clashing together in a swift series of blocks and parries, slashes and stabs. Blood flowed from both women, dripping onto the floor, creating a slippery surface to fight upon. Slowly but surely, the older woman backed the younger towards a corner, trapping her. Zelda fought more frantically, becoming careless with her swings, allowing Narabi to score several minor hits. She was only a few feet from the corner when Narabi let up her barrage and pulled back.

"My King! I am about to be victorious. What would you like me to do?"

Link looked at Zelda, who was breathing hard, blood flowing from several minor wounds. She looked spent, yet the longer he looked at her calm stance and the way she held her sword, as only an experienced warrior would, not a panicked novice, he became more and more convinced that Zelda was only leading Narabi on. "Finish her, Narabi."

Narabi turned back towards Zelda and lunged forward. Zelda jumped backwards towards the corner and launched herself off the wall, performing two flips before landing behind Narabi. Her blade flashed before Narabi could react, scoring deep into the Gerudo's back. Narabi collapsed as her servants ran up to tend to her.

Zelda stepped forward towards Link, sword at the ready. Link grinned at her.


	27. Zelda's Sacrifice

Zelda stepped forward towards Link, sword at the ready. Link grinned at her.

"Oh ho, she's still got some fight in her. That was very impressive, I was not aware you were so well trained. I guess you're not some lady princess after all."

"Link… I don't want to fight you."

"No, you don't Princess."

"I know I'd lose. But I'd try anyways, because I love you. I'd try anyways to fight for us, for what we have, for what you can't see right now because of that awful curse clouding your heart. She set a curse on me, as you know. My life is drained with each use of my power. But if that's what it takes to set you free, I will gladly die. For you, Link."

Narabi laughed weakly from where she was being held by her servants. "Ha! Your life will be drained completely before the curse is broken, Princess!"

"I'm still going to try."

Tahira the midwife watched from the shadows, waiting for her chance to speak to Link about what had really happened to his mother. She had a bit of magic herself, and she felt the power of the young priestess, and knew that that power alone was not enough to save Link from the darkness in his heart.

Zelda summoned her power around her, feeling the clutches of Narabi's curse. She called upon her deepest strengths, the power of the Triforce of Wisdom. She enveloped Link in her power, surrounding him in a blue aura. Link roared as the magic began to crack the curse set upon him by Narabi, even as Zelda felt her vision growing dimmer, and her lifeforce slipping away.

She willed the last of her power and her life towards Link, and sank to the ground. "I love you, Link," she whispered as her heart stopped beating.

Link laughed.


	28. Ganon's Story and the Summoning

Author's Note: I hope you like Ganondorf's back story here, I put a lot of thought into it. Enjoy!

* * *

Link picked up Zelda's frail form and dumped her on a table close to the thrones. "She is dead," he announced to the waiting Gerudos.

Tahira stepped up to him. "My lord, may I have a word?" She could feel the cracks in Narabi's curse upon him, and she only hoped that the information she had to tell him would break it completely.

"Yes, my faithful servant?"

"I knew your mother well, even before I was her midwife. She was always full of life, contemplating mysteries. She was a skilled warrior and scout, a tribute to the Gerudo people. Ganondorf himself intended to make her his bride."

Link stared at her. "What? Ganondorf isn't my…?"

"No, he's not, child. Narabi was possessive of him, and didn't think Akana was good enough for him. So she had Akana relocated to scout Hyrule. While Akana was in Hyrule, she fell in love with the culture there, especially the children's stories, such as the ones that led her to seek out the Lost Woods. She also fell in love with a young Hylian soldier. When Ganondorf got wind of this, he ordered her back to our lands, never to leave them again. Narabi convinced him that it was not enough, that she would continue to disobey him unless the Hylian was killed. And so he was, by Narabi's hand."

"They soon discovered Akana was pregnant. Narabi wanted to have her executed then for conceiving a child of unknown origins. The Gerudo are very selective about their breeding, only the best are chosen. But Ganondorf, then only fifteen years old, defied his mother's wishes and permitted Akana to have the child, for he still wished to wed Akana."

"When Akana fled, it was Narabi who found out. She convinced Ganondorf to seek her out and bring her back. When he returned with her, she was on the brink of death anyways, from her long journey so soon after her difficult childbirth. Narabi played on his emotions, trying to convince him that Akana had betrayed them all, especially him. But he wasn't fully convinced, so Narabi used some of her blac magic to twist Ganondorf's heart so he would kill his love, Akana. It backfired on Narabi, though, because after that, he grew more and more filled with hatred, until he became the Ganondorf you battled."

"Ganondorf was not responsible for your mother's death. If anything, her death led him to become the cruel twisted monster that attempted to steal the Triforce. Narabi gave him that idea, too. She wanted the Triforce for herself, so she told Ganondorf that with the Triforce, he could resurrect Akana and live with her happily ever after."

"So all of this… it's Narabi's fault?" Link asked, feeling something straining near his heart.

"Yes. Ganondorf probably never knew you were Akana's son when he fought you. Narabi made him the greedy monster you know him as."

Link cried out and sank to his knees as he felt something lift away from his heart. The red mist lifted away, and he knew again who he was… and what he had done.

"Zelda!" he let out an anguished roar, and cradled her lifeless body in his arms. "What have I done?" Tears ran freely down his cheeks and dropped onto her peaceful face as he rocked her back and forth.

A snicker from the end of the hall brought his head up. Narabi laughed again. "You pathetic weakling. You could have become great, the greatest king these people have seen! You could have conquered many lands, and brought peace and prosperity back to the Gerudos! Instead, you waste it all on that worthless girl, that girl who toyed with your emotions like they were her playthings."

Link found himself seeing red again, a red that had nothing to do with curses, only a massive desire to kill the dying woman who laughed at him.

A strong hand grabbed his shoulder. "Don't, not just yet. There might be a way to bring Zelda back."

He spun and grabbed her. "Tell me how! I'll do anything."

Tahira sighed. "I can't believe I'm saying this… We'd have to resurrect Ganon on this plane, to bring the three parts of the Triforce back together. The surge of power from this would reawaken Zelda's Triforce of Wisdom, and thus Zelda herself would awaken."

"I'll do it," he said firmly, not even hesitating.

"I was afraid of that… Zelda directed all of her power into you, so right now you have the power to direct both parts of the Triforce. You need to use those to call upon the Triforce of Power, which will bring Ganondorf with it."

"Okay… hold on." He closed his eyes and summoned both his own familiar power and that of Zelda's power, calling out to a third power, the Triforce of Power. The air in front of him began to shiver, and he heard a familiar, evil laugh.

The shimmer solidified, and there stood Ganondorf in all of his power and glory.


End file.
